sicken

/ˈsɪkən/

//ˈsɪkən// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"sicken" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“sicken” is an uncommon English word, ranked #67,047 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#67,047
frequency rank, English
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To make ill.

Key facts for sicken
PropertyValue
Headwordsicken
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈsɪkən/
Letters6
Frequency rank#67,047
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “sicken” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). sicken lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for sicken is 6 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈsɪkən/. Corpus data places it at rank #67,047 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

No misspelling variants are generated for sicken in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English sekenen, equivalent to sick + -en. Cognate with Danish sygne (“to pine”), Swedish sjukna (“to fall ill; become sick”), Norwegian sykne, Icelandic sjúkna (“to sicken; become sick”). The correct English form is sicken, spelled S-I-C-K-E-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    To make ill.
  2. 2
    To become ill.
  3. 3
    To fill with disgust or abhorrence.
  4. 4
    To lower the standing of.
  5. 5
    To be filled with disgust or abhorrence.
  6. 6
    To become disgusting or tedious.
  7. 7
    To become weak; to decay; to languish.

Etymology

From Middle English sekenen, equivalent to sick + -en. Cognate with Danish sygne (“to pine”), Swedish sjukna (“to fall ill; become sick”), Norwegian sykne, Icelandic sjúkna (“to sicken; become sick”).

This word in other languages

rendre malade(Français)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "sicken"?
"sicken" is spelled S-I-C-K-E-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsɪkən/.
What does "sicken" mean?
As a verb, "sicken" means: To make ill.
How do you pronounce "sicken"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "sicken" is /ˈsɪkən/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "sicken"?
From Middle English sekenen, equivalent to sick + -en. Cognate with Danish sygne (“to pine”), Swedish sjukna (“to fall ill; become sick”), Norwegian sykne, Icelandic sjúkna (“to sicken; become sick”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “sicken”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is S-I-C-K-E-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈsɪkən/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list