sick to think

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "sick to think" is not standard in written English and may be confusing without context.
It could be used to express a strong negative emotional reaction to a thought or idea, often implying disgust or distress. Example: "I'm sick to think that some people can be so cruel to others."

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

26 human-written examples

It made Max sick to think about.

The New Yorker

It's sick to think somebody would destroy that".

The New York Times

That can be a symptom of being sick — to think we are well".

The New Yorker

"It makes me sort of sick to think it might not work".

The New Yorker

"It makes you sick to think that this sort of thing can happen," he said.

The New York Times

It makes me sick to think of some little old lady getting stuck with this".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

33 human-written examples

"Makes me sick now to think of it," she says.

The New York Times - Magazine

The 2 of them are very sick individuals to think that was ok".

The Guardian - Film

"It's always playing on the back of my mind and it makes me a bit sick really to think what he was doing was wrong," he said.

BBC

It makes me sick just to think about it.

Vice

The society we're living in right now, where people are pissed off with their lives... So, rather deal with their own lives, they get mad at somebody who has a life that maybe they want or they just deflect their own hatred on other people because it makes them feel better for a moment about themselves, which is a sick, demented thing to think anyway.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "sick to think" to express a strong emotional reaction of disgust or distress when contemplating a particular idea or situation. Ensure the context clearly warrants such a strong emotion.

Common error

Avoid using "sick to think" in contexts where the situation is merely unpleasant or inconvenient. The phrase is strong and should be reserved for genuinely disturbing or appalling thoughts.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "sick to think" functions as an idiomatic expression used to convey a strong negative emotional reaction, typically disgust, revulsion, or moral outrage, towards a particular thought or idea. Ludwig examples show its use across various media outlets.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Wiki

8%

Science

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "sick to think" is an idiomatic expression used to express strong negative emotions such as disgust or revulsion at a particular thought. It's considered acceptable and relatively common, particularly in News & Media. While versatile, it's best reserved for situations where the emotional response is genuinely strong to avoid overuse. Ludwig AI indicates that this phrase is used to express intense personal feelings about something, often disapproval or distress.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

disgusted to think

Replaces "sick" with "disgusted", emphasizing revulsion.

appalled to think

Replaces "sick" with "appalled", highlighting shock and dismay.

repulsed to consider

Uses "repulsed" and "consider" for a more formal tone, focusing on strong aversion.

nauseated by the thought

Shifts the structure to focus on physical discomfort induced by the thought.

it makes my skin crawl to think

Emphasizes a physical reaction of discomfort and disgust.

the thought fills me with revulsion

Highlights the intense feeling of disgust and aversion.

it's sickening to imagine

Focuses on the disturbing nature of imagining something.

i find it abhorrent to think

Uses "abhorrent" to express strong moral repugnance.

i recoil at the idea

Emphasizes a strong physical and emotional reaction of aversion.

it's revolting to contemplate

Emphasizes the disgusting nature of considering something.

FAQs

How can I use "sick to think" in a sentence?

You can use "sick to think" to express a strong negative emotional reaction to a thought or idea. For example, "It makes me "sick to think" about the suffering of animals in factory farms."

What are some alternatives to "sick to think"?

Alternatives include "disgusted to think", "appalled to think", or "repulsed to consider", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "sick to think" grammatically correct?

While not a formal grammatical structure, "sick to think" is an idiomatic expression that is commonly used and generally understood in informal contexts. According to Ludwig, it is considered acceptable.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "sick to think"?

Use "sick to think" when you want to express a strong feeling of disgust, revulsion, or moral outrage about a particular thought or situation. Avoid using it in mild or trivial contexts.