sicker

1 of 2

adjective

sick·​er ˈsi-kər How to pronounce sicker (audio)
chiefly Scotland
: secure, safe
also : dependable
sicker adverb chiefly Scotland
sickerly adverb chiefly Scotland

sicker

2 of 2

comparative of sick entry 1

Examples of sicker in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Allegedly, Buckingham Palace leaned on the press to downplay the severity of the king’s illness last year, which paints a picture of a monarch who’s much sicker than people want to believe. — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 3 June 2026 But researchers, insurers, and even some hospital clinicians are skeptical that Massachusetts has actually become that much sicker. — Darshak Sanghavi, STAT, 3 June 2026 As Rayo grew sicker with nausea, chills and aches, staff moved him into a cinderblock isolation cell with a surveillance camera overhead for closer monitoring and to prevent the spread of disease. — CBS News, 27 May 2026 That extra time will create an older and sicker population, Reilly said. — Richard A. Webster, ProPublica, 22 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for sicker

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English siker, from Old English sicor, from Latin securus secure

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sicker was before the 12th century

Rhymes for sicker

See All Rhymes for sicker

Browse Nearby Words

sicken of
sicker
sickerly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sicker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sicker. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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