# sick as a parrot

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/sick-as-a-parrot
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Very disappointed; miserable.

## Examples

- He was sick as a parrot after his team lost the game.
- She felt sick as a parrot when she realized she had missed the final train home.
- The candidate was sick as a parrot upon discovering that his lifelong ambition had been thwarted by a last-minute administrative error.

## Origin

(very disappointed): Apparently of sporting (soccer) origin. (disputed)

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.