unwell

/ʌnˈwɛl/

not in good health

She felt unwell after eating the spoiled food.

She became sick after eating something bad.

general

Not in good health; feeling ill or sick

He had to stay home because he was feeling unwell.

He was sick and couldn't go to work.

The doctor said she was unwell and needed rest.

The doctor advised her to rest because she was sick.

Often used to describe mild to moderate illness, not necessarily severe.

Collocations

feel unwellto experience illness or discomfortbecome unwellto fall sickkeep someone unwellto cause someone to be sick

feeling slightly unwell

Use 'unwell' in formal contexts; 'sick' is more informal.

'Unwell' is more formal than 'sick' or 'ill'.

From Middle English 'unwele', from 'un-' (not) + 'wele' (well-being).

Can be used to describe physical or mental illness. Often used in formal contexts.

un-

not

prefix

well

healthy

root

English Dictionary