nauseous
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
feeling like you are about to vomit or have an upset stomach.
experiencing a sensation of stomach distress and the urge to vomit.
Simple“The smell of the old fish made her feel nauseous immediately.”
In context“After the turbulent flight, several passengers reported feeling nauseous and requested water from the cabin crew.”
UsageIn modern usage, this is the most common sense, though some traditionalists prefer 'nauseated' for the feeling and 'nauseous' for the cause.
PitfallI feel nauseous about the long car ride. I feel nauseous from the long car ride.Use 'from' or 'after' to describe the cause of the physical feeling, rather than 'about'.
- 02 C1 Advanced
describing something so disgusting or unpleasant that it makes people feel sick.
inducing a feeling of nausea; sickening or loathsome in nature.
Simple“The nauseous smell of the chemicals filled the entire factory floor.”
In context“The documentary detailed the nauseous conditions of the nineteenth-century slums, shocking the modern audience with its graphic descriptions.”
Teacher's tipWhile this is the original historical meaning, many modern speakers now use 'nauseating' for this sense and reserve 'nauseous' for the feeling of being sick.
Synonyms
“Reni said their child felt dizzy and nauseous before developing stomach problems after eating the meal.”
From Latin nauseōsus (“causing nausea”), corresponding synchronically to nausea + -ous.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.