"Nauseous" = causing nausea (prescriptive); "nauseated" = feeling sick, experiencing nausea.
In strict prescriptive use: causing nausea in others (the subject causes the sickness). In widely accepted modern use: feeling nausea.
The smell of rotting garbage was nauseous — everyone who entered the alley felt sick.
The turbulence on the flight was nauseous for most passengers.
"I feel nauseous" — technically means "I am causing nausea in others," but is now universally accepted as "I feel sick".
Feeling sick to one's stomach, experiencing nausea. Always refers to the person experiencing the discomfort.
She felt nauseated after eating undercooked chicken at the restaurant.
The patient reported feeling nauseated and dizzy after taking the medication.
He became nauseated during the turbulent boat ride across the bay.
Common mistake
This is one of the most famous battles of prescriptivism vs descriptivism in English. The classic prescriptive argument: saying "I feel nauseous" technically means you cause nausea in others (nauseous = that which causes nausea). The "correct" form would be "I feel nauseated". In real practice: "I feel nauseous" is completely accepted today.
Trick to remember it
The safe choice: to describe how you feel — use "nauseated". To describe something that causes nausea in others — "nauseous" is prescriptively correct. In casual conversation, "I feel nauseous" is totally fine. In medical or formal writing — "nauseated".
Quick rule
Prescriptive: nauseous = causes nausea; nauseated = feeling sick. In actual use today: "nauseous" is used for both and nobody blinks.
Did you know?
This is one of descriptive linguists' favorite examples to show that prescribed rules sometimes do not reflect real usage. The distinction was taught in many US schools throughout the 20th century, but even Merriam-Webster today says "nauseous" can mean both things.
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
The patient reported feeling _____ and was given anti-nausea medication before the procedure.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
The pungent chemical smell in the lab was _____ — several students had to leave the room.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Prescriptive: nauseous = causes nausea; nauseated = feeling sick. In actual use today: "nauseous" is used for both and nobody blinks.
This is one of the most famous battles of prescriptivism vs descriptivism in English. The classic prescriptive argument: saying "I feel nauseous" technically means you cause nausea in others (nauseous = that which causes nausea). The "correct" form would be "I feel nauseated". In real practice: "I feel nauseous" is completely accepted today.
The safe choice: to describe how you feel — use "nauseated". To describe something that causes nausea in others — "nauseous" is prescriptively correct. In casual conversation, "I feel nauseous" is totally fine. In medical or formal writing — "nauseated".
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy