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“Sic” or “Sick”

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.

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Definitions

What each term means

Same sound, different spellings and meanings, shown with a pronunciation guide for each term.

sic s·IH·k

  • verburge to attack someone.
  • adverbintentionally so written (used after a printed word or phrase).

sick s·IH·k

  • nounpeople who are sick.
  • adjectivedeeply affected by a strong feeling.
Usage

Examples in context

Real sentences for each spelling. Hover an example to copy it.

“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".

“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 are drawn from WordNet.

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