not feeling well

/nɑt ˈfiːlɪŋ wɛl/
phraseIntermediate
What It Really Means
Not applicable (literal meaning)
Literal Meaning
Experiencing discomfort or illness
Literal Breakdown
notnegation+feelingexperiencing a sensation+wellin good health
Mental Image
No specific imagery; describes a general state of unwellness
When to Use
A person might say this when they have a mild cold or headache and don't want to specify the exact condition.
Cultural Note
Commonly used in English-speaking cultures as a polite way to explain illness without being too specific.
informal

Experiencing physical or emotional discomfort or illness

I'm not feeling well today, so I'll stay home from work.

She said she wasn't feeling well after eating the spoiled food.

💡

This phrase is commonly used to express mild to moderate illness or discomfort without specifying the exact condition.

Collocations

not feeling well enoughtoo unwell to do something specificnot feeling well at allvery unwell

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Phrases

under the weatherphrase
Feeling unwell
out of sortsphrase
Feeling slightly unwell or irritable

💡Pro Tip

Polite Usage

Use this phrase when you need to decline an invitation or explain your absence without going into medical details.

Gold Rule

Context Matters

While this phrase is informal, it's acceptable in most social and professional contexts when explaining illness.

📖Word Origin

Combination of the negative 'not' with the present participle 'feeling' and the adjective 'well' to express a state of poor health or discomfort.

📝Usage Notes

This phrase is often used as a polite way to decline social invitations or explain absence from work or school. It can refer to both physical and emotional states.

Word Breakdown

not
negative
prefix
+
feeling
experiencing
verb
+
well
in good health
adjective
English Dictionary