Even though nauseous and nauseated are often used to mean feeling unwell, many purists insist that nauseous means “causing nausea” while nauseated means “feeling sick.” Casually, it is probably OK to use both words to mean feeling ill. However, in more formal situations, use each word correctly.
Find helpful usage tips, clarifying examples, and spelling tricks below.
Usage Tips
- Nauseating is a good substitute for nauseous when you’re talking about something that causes nausea.