# sickly

/ˈsɪkɫi/ (US) · /sˈɪkli/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sickly
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. often ill

adjective · CEFR B2

often getting sick or having a weak body.

For teachers: frequently ill or habitually in poor health; possessing a weak constitution.

- He was a sickly child who spent most of his winters indoors.
- The biographer noted that the poet had been a sickly youth, a factor that likely contributed to his introspective nature.

### 2. looking unwell

adjective · CEFR B2

looking pale or unhealthy in a way that suggests illness.

For teachers: appearing ill, infirm, or unhealthy; having a complexion or appearance suggestive of disease.

- The hospital lights gave everyone a sickly yellow look.
- After weeks of working underground, the miners emerged with a sickly pallor that shocked their families.

### 4. weak light or growth

adjective · CEFR C1 · Literary

weak and not bright, or not growing well.

For teachers: lacking intensity, vigour, or healthy development; often applied to light or vegetation.

- A few sickly plants struggled to grow in the dark corner of the garden.
- The moon cast a sickly light over the ruins, barely illuminating the path ahead.

### 5. in an unhealthy way

adverb · CEFR C2 · Literary

in a way that shows someone is sick or not healthy.

For teachers: in a manner indicative of illness or poor health.

- He smiled sickly at the doctor, trying to look better than he felt.
- The engine sputtered sickly before finally dying in the middle of the desert road.

## Examples

- The child looked sickly and stayed home from school.
- The room was filled with the sickly sweet smell of rotting fruit that had been left in the sun.
- The pale, sickly light of the moon filtered through the heavy clouds, casting long and distorted shadows across the abandoned courtyard.

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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.