feeling under the weather

Meaning

1. 1phraseidiominformal

   Feeling slightly unwell or low in energy, often with a mild illness such as a cold, though not seriously ill.

   Grammar: Often follows be, feel or seem: she is feeling under the weather today.

   Patterns

   • be feeling under the weather
   • feel a bit under the weather

   I'm feeling under the weather today, so I'll work from home.

   She stayed in bed because she was feeling under the weather.

   Are you feeling under the weather, or just tired?

Common combinations

feeling a bit under the weather

I'm feeling a bit under the weather, so I'll skip the party.

feeling slightly under the weather

He was feeling slightly under the weather after the trip.

been feeling under the weather

I've been feeling under the weather all week.

seem under the weather

You seem under the weather; did you sleep badly?

still feeling under the weather

I'm still feeling under the weather but I'm getting better.

Synonyms and how they differ

off colour

Off colour is a British phrase that also stresses looking slightly unwell.

poorly

Poorly is a British word that can describe more serious illness than under the weather.

ill

Ill is neutral and stronger, and it lacks the softening, casual tone of the idiom.

run-down

Run-down suggests being tired and weakened over time, not a short bout of mild illness.

Opposites

Word family

weather noun

the conditions of the atmosphere

unwell adjective

slightly ill

feel verb

to experience a physical or emotional state

Commonly confused: feeling under the weather or weather the storm?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “feeling under the weather”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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