What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
sicker
Example
She felt sicker after taking the medication. [sicker: comparative adjective]
Example
He looked sicker than he did yesterday. [sicker: comparative adjective]
worse
Example
The weather is worse today than it was yesterday. [worse: comparative adjective]
Example
My headache is worse than it was this morning. [worse: comparative adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Worse is more commonly used than sicker in everyday language. Worse is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while sicker is less common and is typically used in medical or healthcare contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between sicker and worse?
Both sicker and worse are relatively informal words, but sicker may be slightly more formal due to its association with medical terminology.
