unwell

unwell — adjective

1. feeling that your body is not in good health, often because of a minor problem s

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

feeling that your body is not in good health, often because of a minor problem such as a cold or an upset stomach

Example

Niran felt unwell after eating the spicy noodles at the night market.

feel unwell (linking verb + adjective)

The teacher saw that Beatrix looked unwell and sent her to rest.

look unwell (visible signs)

Common collocations
  • feel unwell
  • look unwell
  • seem unwell
  • become unwell
  • visibly unwell
  • slightly unwell
  • suddenly unwell
Synonyms
  • sick

    more common in everyday speech; works both before nouns and after linking verbs

  • ill

    slightly more formal; often used before a noun in British English

  • poorly

    British English, informal; used mainly after linking verbs

Antonyms
  • well

    the most common everyday opposite; A1 level

  • healthy

    describes long-term good health rather than a momentary state

Usage Note

Unwell is rarely used before a noun. You would say 'a sick child' or 'an ill patient' rather than 'an unwell child'. It appears most naturally after linking verbs such as feel, look, or seem.

Common Mistakes

I am feeling unwell with my stomach.
I have an upset stomach.
unwell describes your general physical condition, not a specific body part.
He is an unwell man.
He is a sick man.
unwell is almost never used before a noun in natural English.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Sick is the most casual and versatile of the three — you can say both 'a sick child' and 'the child is sick.' Ill sits a step higher in formality and is more common in British English (e.g., 'he is gravely ill'). Unwell is the most polite and indirect option, making it a good choice in professional or formal settings when you want to avoid the bluntness of sick. Poorly is regional (chiefly British) and informal: 'She felt poorly after the long drive.' In American English, unwell is less common than sick but appears often in customer-service and medical contexts: 'If you feel unwell, please inform the cabin crew.'

sick ↗ill ↗poorly ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

Phrases

  • feel unwell
  • look unwell
  • seem unwell
  • become unwell

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Formed by adding the negative prefix un- to the adjective well, which has carried the meaning 'in good health' since Old English (from wel, meaning 'in a satisfactory manner'). The combination unwell first appeared in the 1500s.