“Nauseated” and “nauseous” are terms that are often used interchangeably, but they have distinct meanings. “Nauseated” refers to the feeling of being sick or experiencing nausea, while “nauseous” describes something that causes nausea or is sickening. Understanding the difference between these words can help you use them correctly in different contexts. This lesson will define each term and provide examples to illustrate their proper usage.
Nauseated
Definition:
“Nauseated” is an adjective that describes the feeling of being sick, particularly feeling like you are about to vomit. It is used to describe the sensation of nausea experienced by a person.
Examples of use:
Joe feels nauseated 20 minutes after his workout, likely due to dehydration.
After eating the spoiled food, she became nauseated and had to lie down.
The boat ride was so rough that many passengers were left feeling nauseated.
Nauseous
Definition:
“Nauseous” is an adjective that describes something that causes nausea or is disgusting and repulsive. It refers to a quality that induces the feeling of sickness.
Examples of use:
The neighbors refuse to put up with that nauseous stench coming from the garbage.
The nauseous smell of the chemicals in the lab made it difficult to concentrate.
The sight of the rotten food was so nauseous that it made everyone lose their appetite.
While “nauseated” and “nauseous” are related, they are not the same. “Nauseated” describes the feeling of being sick or having nausea, whereas “nauseous” describes something that causes that feeling of nausea. By understanding these differences, you can use these words correctly to convey precise meanings in your writing and speech.