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nauseating

adjective
nau·​se·​at·​ing | \ ˈnȯ-zhē-ˌā-tiŋ How to pronounce nauseating (audio) , -shē-, -zē-, -sē-\

Definition of nauseating

: causing nausea or especially disgust
Other Words from nauseating Synonyms & Antonyms Nauseous vs. Nauseated: Usage Guide Example Sentences Learn More about nauseating

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Other Words from nauseating

nauseatingly adverb

Nauseous vs. Nauseated: Usage Guide

Those who insist that nauseous can properly be used only to mean "causing nausea" and that its later "affected with nausea" meaning is an error for nauseated are mistaken. Current evidence shows these facts: nauseous is most frequently used to mean physically affected with nausea, usually after a linking verb such as feel or become; figurative use is quite a bit less frequent. Use of nauseous to mean "causing nausea or disgust" is much more often figurative than literal, and this use appears to be losing ground to nauseating. Nauseated is used more widely than nauseous when referring to being affected with nausea.

Examples of nauseating in a Sentence

the nauseating smell of rotting garbage The way the animals were treated was nauseating. It was nauseating to see the two of them act like lovesick teenagers.
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Recent Examples on the Web

 Toxic algae frequently stink and in some cases produce a nauseating smell, yet animals may be attracted to the smell and taste of them, according to the EPA. — Susan Scutti, CNN, "Dog-killing toxic algae discovered in 3 New York City parks," 26 Aug. 2019 Often the remedies are relatively simple, if nauseating. — The Economist, "Why China’s assault on Cathay Pacific should scare all foreign firms," 22 Aug. 2019 Toxic algae often stink, sometimes producing a downright nauseating smell, yet animals may be attracted to the smell and taste of them, according to the EPA. — Jeff Forward, Houston Chronicle, "Woodlands officials: No blue-green algae in township ponds, lakes," 15 Aug. 2019 In my world, working side-by-side with someone who smells bad can be nauseating. — Ramona Sentinel, "Ask Mr. Marketing: You should take a shower," 16 Aug. 2019 Home prices in Los Angeles kept rising for another year or so, but then began a nauseating plunge that didn’t bottom out until mid-2012. — Los Angeles Times, "Column: Farewell to Mark Kleiman, one of America’s great sages in public affairs," 29 July 2019 The next night, Aug. 10, police encountered another nauseating murder scene: Leno and Rosemary LaBianca had been stabbed to death in their Los Feliz home. — Times Staff Reports, Los Angeles Times, "Remembering the victims of the Manson murders," 28 July 2019 Its also pretty nauseating to work for someone who’d empower a smear campaign by fascists #cybernazis . — Alex Abad-santos, Vox, "Warner Bros. has hired ex-Marvel director James Gunn to work on a Suicide Squad sequel," 9 Oct. 2018 Its also pretty nauseating to work for someone who’d empower a smear campaign by fascists #cybernazis . — Alex Abad-santos, Vox, "Warner Bros. has hired ex-Marvel director James Gunn to work on a Suicide Squad sequel," 9 Oct. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'nauseating.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of nauseating

1645, in the meaning defined above

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More Definitions for nauseating

nauseating

adjective
How to pronounce nauseating (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of nauseating

: causing you to feel like you are going to vomit
: causing disgust

See the full definition for nauseating in the English Language Learners Dictionary

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