# sick at heart

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/sick-at-heart
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Despairing, distressed, or anxious.

## Examples

- I am sick at heart about the bad news.
- She felt sick at heart after hearing that her favorite neighborhood park would be closed forever.
- He remained sick at heart for weeks, unable to reconcile the sudden loss of his lifelong project with his hopes for the future.

## Origin

From Hamlet, Act I, Scene 1, by William Shakespeare: : Francisco: For this relief much thanks: 'tis bitter cold, / And I am sick at heart.

---

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.