Word
queasy
US/ˈkwizi/
UK/kwˈiːzi/
Definition
adj. feeling sick in your stomach, as if you might vomit. You get this feeling when you are ill, nervous, or moving on a boat or in a car.
adj. experiencing nausea or stomach discomfort, with a sensation of impending vomiting. Often triggered by motion, illness, anxiety, or disgust.
Examples
“The rough boat ride makes me feel queasy.”
“She feels queasy every time she reads in a moving car on long trips.”
“After donating blood on an empty stomach, he grew pale and queasy and had to sit down.”
Examples
simple
“The rough boat ride makes me feel queasy.”
contextual
“She feels queasy every time she reads in a moving car on long trips.”
complex
“After donating blood on an empty stomach, he grew pale and queasy and had to sit down.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “queasy” in context.
Verb
01. feel queasy
“She began to feel queasy halfway across the Channel.”
verb + adj
02. get queasy
“I always get queasy on winding mountain roads.”
verb + adj
03. make queasy
“The smell of hot oil can make me queasy in the morning.”
verb + adj
04. queasy about blood
“Many students feel queasy about blood during first aid training.”
adj + prep + noun
05. queasy from motion
“He gets queasy from motion whenever he reads in the car.”
adj + prep + noun
Adjective
06. distinctly queasy
“He felt distinctly queasy when the ferry hit rough water.”
adv + adj
Noun
07. queasy sensation
“A queasy sensation spread through her as the plane dropped.”
adj + noun
08. queasy stomach
“He woke with a queasy stomach after eating late last night.”
adj + noun
09. feel a little queasy
“I started to feel a little queasy during the turbulent flight.”
10. get queasy on boats
“She tends to get queasy on boats in rough seas.”
11. make me feel queasy
“The strong smell of paint can make me feel queasy.”
12. queasy after heavy meal
“I felt queasy after the heavy meal and needed fresh air.”
Usage
Typically used predicatively after linking verbs such as 'feel', 'look', or 'get'.
Real-World Examples
“We’ve all encountered that traveler with an iron stomach — the one who never gets queasy, much less sick, even after slurping down lukewarm oysters at a street stall, or who can effortlessly endure rough seas and twisty roads.” “One passenger on board felt a bit queasy as the RIB surged through the waves.” “D ressed in a Royal Air Force uniform and sporting a trim moustache, Andrew Scott looks slightly queasy – as well he might.” “Experts say there are ways to stave off that dreaded queasy feeling.” Etymology
From Middle English coysy, possibly from Old Norse kveisa (“boil”) ( > Norwegian kveise/kvise), perhaps influenced by Anglo-Norman queisier, from Old French coisier (“to wound, hurt, make uneasy”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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