Usage Entry 537 / 1011 60-second read

Nauseated vs. Nauseous

Feeling sick versus causing sickness (trad).

The comparisoni

✗ Wrong

I feel nauseous.

✓ Correct

I feel nauseated.

The ruleii

NAUSEATED = feeling sick (trad). NAUSEOUS = causing sickness.

Traditionally, NAUSEATED is how you feel; NAUSEOUS describes what makes you feel that way. Modern usage blurs them, but the distinction is still respected in edited prose.

Memory aidiii

Remember it like this

Feel: NAUSEATED. Smell: NAUSEOUS."

You might also like 6 related
↑↓Navigate Open EscClose All results →