“Sic” or “Sick”—Which to use?

“Sic” or “Sick”

Overview

sic / sick are similar-sounding terms with different meanings (referred to as homophones). To better understand the differences, see below for definitions, pronunciation guides, and example sentences using each term. 👇

Definitions

sic: (verb) urge to attack someone. (adverb) intentionally so written (used after a printed word or phrase).

sick: (noun) people who are sick. (adjective) deeply affected by a strong feeling.

Pronunciation

sic: s·IH·k

sick: s·IH·k

Trends

📈 See Trends

Looking for a tool that handles this for you wherever you write?

Get Sapling

Examples in Context

Examples of “sic”

Additionally, any time the SIC carried the oil of a…
The SIC would also provide the investor-refiners…
…the “Port neuf” and “Kansas (sic.
“Everyone (sic) of them learned the Goose-step…
Le Culot Airfield (Y-10), France [sic], 1 December 1944
…in the South Improvement Company (SIC).
Rockefeller saw the SIC as the ideal mechanism for…
…his men who "most chearfully (sic) decided to fight".
John Reade [sic] Le Brockton Tomlin (1864–1954).
…Minaj song released to radio [sic] yet".

Examples of “sick”

Az Hame Del Boridam (Sick of Everybody)
…attributable in part to very sick rural people moving to Dublin…
…every state: happy, sad, playful, sick, bloodied, angry and even naked”.
…that her brother had fallen sick and died after having had…
…is going to see her sick grandmother.
…– for services to the Sick and Terminally Ill through Art
…were either seriously wounded or sick.
Sick, Sick, Sick
Kurlyandov got sick on his way home and…
For services to Sick Children and their Families in

(Examples are Wikipedia snippets under the CC ShareAlike 3.0 license. Definitions drawn from WordNet.)

Too Much to Remember?

Install Sapling