nauseate

verb

nau·​se·​ate ˈnȯ-zhē-ˌāt  -shē-  -zē- 

-sē-

nauseated; nauseating

intransitive verb

1

: to become affected with nausea

2

: to feel disgust

transitive verb

: to affect with nausea or disgust

Frequently Asked Questions

Is one nauseous or nauseated?

Some usage guides have held that there should be a strict distinction between nauseous and nauseated, with the first word meaning "causing nausea or disgust" and the second one meaning "affected with nausea." However, nauseous has been in widespread enough use for both of these senses that this distinction is now quite blurred. Nauseous may mean either "causing nausea" or "affected with nausea"; nauseated, on the other hand, is restricted in meaning to "affected with nausea; feeling disgust."

What is the verb for nauseous?

The verb form of nauseous is nauseate, meaning "to affect with nausea or disgust." It comes from the Latin word meaning "seasickness, nausea," which itself may be traced back to the Greek word for "sailor" (nautēs).

Is nausea a noun?

Nausea is a noun, meaning "a stomach distress with distaste for food and an urge to vomit" or "extreme disgust." A number of other nouns are closely related in meaning, including nauseant ("something that causes nausea"), nauseousness ("an instance of nausea"), and nauseatingness ("the quality or state of being nauseating").

Synonyms

• disgust
• gross out
• put off
• repel
• repulse
• revolt
• sicken
• turn off

Examples of nauseate in a Sentence

The smell of gasoline nauseates me.

It nauseated him to see the way the animals were treated.

Recent Examples on the Web

For Lucy, the idea that Stephen changed for someone else is both nauseating and an impossible thing to consider. —Dana Feldman, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2024

What this means in gory practice is that, after just one injection, Moore’s spine splits open—a goopy, grisly sequence that is wildly fun, if nauseating, to behold—and a shiny, taut new body (Margaret Qualley, looking resplendent) slithers out. —The New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2024

This is especially helpful for people who are too nauseated to drink water. —Carrie Madormo, Rn, Mph, Verywell Health, 27 Sep. 2024

Some people inhale the scent of lavender with joy, while others are nauseated by the sweet aroma. —Sharon Greenthal, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1625, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Kids Definition

nauseate

verb

nau·​se·​ate ˈnȯ-zē-ˌ-āt  -sē-  -zhē- 

-shē-

nauseated; nauseating

: to affect or become affected with nausea or disgust

Medical Definition

nauseate

verb

nau·​se·​ate ˈnȯ-z(h)ē-ˌāt  -s(h)ē- 

nauseated; nauseating

intransitive verb

: to become affected with nausea

transitive verb

: to affect with nausea