When we’re not feeling well, it’s sometimes hard to explain exactly how we feel. Instead of just saying we’re sick, we can use metaphors to describe our symptoms in a more interesting way. Metaphors compare something we don’t fully understand to something we do, helping us picture it in our minds. For example, saying “I feel like a truck hit me” helps people understand just how bad the sickness feels.
In this article, we will explore 40 metaphors for being sick. These metaphors will help you describe your feelings in a more colorful and creative way. Whether you’re talking about a cold, the flu, or just feeling tired, these expressions can make it easier to explain exactly what’s going on.
Metaphors for Being Sick
1. I’m burning up
Meaning: Feeling feverish or hot due to illness.
Samples: I’m burning up with fever, I need to lie down. / After running around, she felt like she was burning up.
To Put it Another Way: I have a high temperature. / I feel really hot.
2. Like I’ve been hit by a truck
Meaning: Feeling extremely tired or sore, as if something heavy hit you.
Samples: I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck after that long day of work. / He said he felt like he’d been hit by a truck after the flu.
To Put it Another Way: I feel exhausted and in pain. / I feel sore all over.
3. A pain in the neck
Meaning: Something or someone causing irritation or discomfort, often used for a headache or body pain.
Samples: This cold is such a pain in the neck. / I have a pain in the neck from sitting at the desk too long.
To Put it Another Way: It’s really bothering me. / I feel uncomfortable in my neck.
4. A cloud over my head
Meaning: Feeling down, tired, or unwell, as though a metaphorical cloud is following you.
Samples: I’ve had a cloud over my head all day, feeling sick and tired. / She walked around with a cloud over her head after catching the flu.
To Put it Another Way: I feel depressed and sick. / It feels like something is weighing me down.
5. Like a zombie
Meaning: Feeling weak, tired, or like you’re just going through the motions.
Samples: I felt like a zombie after staying up all night with this cold. / He was walking around like a zombie, barely able to keep his eyes open.
To Put it Another Way: I feel drained of energy. / I feel like I’m not fully awake.
6. A body of lead
Meaning: Feeling heavy and tired, as though the body is made of lead.
Samples: After the fever, I felt like a body of lead, unable to move. / She felt like a body of lead after the long workout.
To Put it Another Way: I’m extremely tired and weak. / My body feels heavy and stiff.
7. Like I’m drowning
Meaning: Overwhelmed with sickness or symptoms, especially with a stuffy nose or trouble breathing.
Samples: I feel like I’m drowning in all this mucus. / My cold made me feel like I’m drowning in my own cough.
To Put it Another Way: I’m struggling to breathe. / It’s hard to manage all the symptoms.
8. Running on empty
Meaning: Feeling completely drained or exhausted, with no energy left.
Samples: After the long day, I was running on empty, barely able to move. / She felt like she was running on empty after a long week of being sick.
To Put it Another Way: I have no energy left. / I’m completely worn out.
9. Like a furnace
Meaning: Feeling extremely hot due to fever.
Samples: My body felt like a furnace with this fever. / After the workout, he felt like a furnace, too hot to handle.
To Put it Another Way: I have a high fever. / My body feels overheated.
10. Like I’ve been through a war
Meaning: Feeling drained, sore, or worn out, as though you’ve been through a challenging battle.
Samples: After fighting off the flu, I felt like I’d been through a war. / She said she felt like she’d been through a war after the tough workout.
To Put it Another Way: I feel very worn out. / It feels like I’ve faced a huge challenge.
11. A tickle in my throat
Meaning: A slight irritation or scratchiness in the throat, often signaling the start of a cold or cough.
Samples: I’ve got a tickle in my throat, I think I’m coming down with something. / He couldn’t stop coughing because of the tickle in his throat.
To Put it Another Way: My throat feels scratchy. / I feel the start of a cough.
12. A heavy head
Meaning: Feeling like your head is weighed down, often caused by a headache or congestion.
Samples: I’ve got a heavy head today, probably from the cold. / His cold gave him a heavy head, making it hard to concentrate.
To Put it Another Way: My head feels full and heavy. / I feel like I’m carrying weight on my head.
13. Under the weather
Meaning: Not feeling well or being slightly sick.
Samples: I’m feeling a bit under the weather, so I’m going to rest today. / She called in sick because she was under the weather.
To Put it Another Way: I’m not feeling well. / I’m a bit sick today.
14. In the grip of a cold
Meaning: Feeling like you’re being controlled or overtaken by sickness, especially a cold.
Samples: I’m in the grip of a cold, and I can barely get out of bed. / He was in the grip of a bad cold all week.
To Put it Another Way: The sickness has taken over. / I feel overwhelmed by the illness.
15. A sore throat from hell
Meaning: A very painful throat, usually caused by illness.
Samples: I have a sore throat from hell and can barely swallow. / Her sore throat from hell made her speech impossible.
To Put it Another Way: My throat hurts terribly. / I can barely talk because of the pain.
16. Like a damp rag
Meaning: Feeling limp, tired, and lifeless, as if all energy is drained.
Samples: I feel like a damp rag after this flu; I just want to sleep. / He was as limp as a damp rag after working all day in the heat.
To Put it Another Way: I’m completely drained. / I feel weak and tired.
17. Like a deflated balloon
Meaning: Feeling drained, tired, or without energy, as if all the air was let out of you.
Samples: After the long day of being sick, I felt like a deflated balloon. / She was tired and weak, like a deflated balloon.
To Put it Another Way: I have no energy left. / I feel exhausted and empty.
18. A feverish blur
Meaning: Feeling disoriented or unclear because of a high fever.
Samples: The whole day was a feverish blur, I couldn’t focus on anything. / His thoughts were a feverish blur while he was ill.
To Put it Another Way: I couldn’t think clearly. / Everything was fuzzy due to the fever.
19. A hurricane inside me
Meaning: Experiencing strong, intense sickness or pain, like a storm inside.
Samples: My stomach felt like a hurricane inside me, with constant cramps. / The flu made me feel like a hurricane inside.
To Put it Another Way: I feel overwhelmed by pain. / My illness is causing chaos in my body.
20. Like I’m fading away
Meaning: Feeling weak or as if you have little energy, like you’re disappearing.
Samples: After that long day of fever, I felt like I was fading away. / He felt like he was fading away from exhaustion.
To Put it Another Way: I feel weak and tired. / I feel like I have no energy left.
21. Like I’ve been dipped in molasses
Meaning: Feeling slow, sluggish, and heavy due to illness.
Samples: After the flu, I felt like I’d been dipped in molasses, everything felt slow and hard. / She moved like she’d been dipped in molasses, unable to get out of bed.
To Put it Another Way: I feel very slow and sluggish. / Everything feels heavy and exhausting.
22. A cloud in my chest
Meaning: Feeling heavy, congested, or breathless due to illness.
Samples: I felt like there was a cloud in my chest, making it hard to breathe. / The cold left a cloud in my chest, full of congestion.
To Put it Another Way: My chest feels tight and full. / It’s hard to breathe because of the congestion.
23. Like I’ve been steamrolled
Meaning: Feeling completely flattened and exhausted, as if run over by a vehicle.
Samples: After the long fever, I felt like I’d been steamrolled. / The flu left me feeling like I’d been steamrolled by a truck.
To Put it Another Way: I feel completely worn out. / I’m too tired to move.
24. A feverish fog
Meaning: Feeling confused or unable to think clearly due to a high fever.
Samples: I was walking through a feverish fog, unable to focus on anything. / His thoughts were lost in a feverish fog.
To Put it Another Way: I feel disoriented and confused. / My thoughts are unclear.
25. Like a snake shedding its skin
Meaning: Feeling weak or like you’re in the process of recovering from sickness.
Samples: After being sick for days, I felt like a snake shedding its skin, slowly getting better. / She was recovering from the flu, like a snake shedding its skin.
To Put it Another Way: I’m in the process of getting better. / I’m shedding the illness bit by bit.
26. A cold sweat
Meaning: Feeling weak, clammy, and sweaty, often due to fever or illness.
Samples: I woke up in the middle of the night with a cold sweat. / She felt the cold sweat of sickness as her fever rose.
To Put it Another Way: I felt sweaty and cold at the same time. / I had chills and sweats.
27. Like my body is made of glass
Meaning: Feeling fragile, weak, and easily hurt due to sickness.
Samples: I felt like my body was made of glass, every movement making me ache. / His body felt like glass, fragile and sore.
To Put it Another Way: I feel very weak and delicate. / My body feels easily breakable.
28. A sinking feeling in my stomach
Meaning: Feeling nauseous or uneasy, often as a result of being sick.
Samples: I had a sinking feeling in my stomach when I started feeling nauseous. / After eating, I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach.
To Put it Another Way: My stomach feels upset. / I feel nauseous and uneasy.
29. Like a fish out of water
Meaning: Feeling uncomfortable or out of place because of illness.
Samples: I felt like a fish out of water, struggling to move with all this body ache. / He looked like a fish out of water, uncomfortable and sick.
To Put it Another Way: I feel out of place and uncomfortable. / My body doesn’t feel right.
30. Like I’m stuck in molasses
Meaning: Feeling slow and sluggish, often from fatigue or sickness.
Samples: I feel like I’m stuck in molasses, moving slower than usual. / The flu left me feeling like I’m stuck in molasses, dragging through each day.
To Put it Another Way: I’m moving slowly. / I feel like I’m stuck in one place.
31. Like I’m on fire
Meaning: Feeling extremely hot, usually due to fever or illness.
Samples: I felt like I was on fire, burning up with a fever. / After the workout, he felt like he was on fire with the heat.
To Put it Another Way: I feel like I have a high fever. / My body feels very hot.
32. A monkey on my back
Meaning: Feeling weighed down or burdened, often due to illness.
Samples: The flu felt like a monkey on my back, dragging me down. / I felt like I had a monkey on my back, unable to escape the sickness.
To Put it Another Way: I feel burdened and tired. / The illness is making me feel heavy.
33. Like I’m stuck in bed
Meaning: Feeling trapped or unable to get up due to illness.
Samples: I feel like I’m stuck in bed, too sick to get up. / The cold has me feeling like I’m stuck in bed all day.
To Put it Another Way: I’m too sick to move. / I can’t get out of bed because I feel so weak.
34. A knot in my stomach
Meaning: Feeling uneasy or nauseous, often from being sick.
Samples: I had a knot in my stomach all day, with my cold getting worse. / Her stomach was in knots from the constant nausea.
To Put it Another Way: I feel sick to my stomach. / My stomach feels tight and uncomfortable.
35. Like I’m sinking into quicksand
Meaning: Feeling trapped or unable to escape from illness or symptoms.
Samples: I feel like I’m sinking into quicksand, unable to get better from this cold. / The flu made me feel like I was sinking into quicksand.
To Put it Another Way: I feel stuck in my sickness. / I can’t get out of this feeling of illness.
36. A house of cards
Meaning: Feeling fragile or easily broken, often used to describe a weak body or state.
Samples: My body felt like a house of cards, ready to fall apart at the slightest movement. / He was so weak from the illness, like a house of cards.
To Put it Another Way: I feel very fragile. / I’m afraid I’ll collapse at any moment.
37. Like a slug
Meaning: Feeling sluggish and slow, like a tired or sick creature.
Samples: After the fever, I felt like a slug, just lying in bed all day. / She moved like a slug, too tired to do anything.
To Put it Another Way: I feel slow and weak. / I have no energy to move quickly.
38. Like I’ve got bricks in my legs
Meaning: Feeling extremely heavy and tired, especially in the legs.
Samples: I felt like I had bricks in my legs, unable to stand for long. / After the long walk, my legs felt like they had bricks in them.
To Put it Another Way: My legs feel heavy. / I can barely move my legs due to fatigue.
39. A mountain on my chest
Meaning: Feeling tightness or difficulty breathing, often from congestion or illness.
Samples: I have a mountain on my chest, making it hard to breathe. / The flu made me feel like there was a mountain on my chest.
To Put it Another Way: It’s hard to breathe. / My chest feels tight and heavy.
40. A broken record
Meaning: Repeating the same sickness symptoms over and over, like a stuck record.
Samples: I felt like a broken record, with the same cold symptoms day after day. / His cough sounded like a broken record, never stopping.
To Put it Another Way: I keep feeling the same way. / The illness won’t go away.
Find the Topics: Metaphors for Being Sick
Reading Passage:
Last week, Sarah felt like a truck hit her. She woke up with a fever that made her feel like a furnace. Every time she moved, she felt like she had bricks in her legs, and her head felt like it was made of glass, fragile and aching. Her throat had that annoying tickle, making it hard to swallow, and she was drowning in a sea of tissues. As she lay in bed, she felt like a zombie, her energy completely drained.
At one point, she felt like she had a cloud over her head, unable to focus on anything. Her thoughts were lost in a feverish fog. Her body felt like it was sinking into quicksand—no matter how much she rested, she couldn’t escape the exhaustion. She decided to take medicine, hoping it would feel like a ray of hope, something to help her escape the sickness that had taken over her body.
Your Task:
Underline or list all 10 metaphors for being sick used in the story.
Answer Key
- Like a truck hit her
- Like a furnace
- Like she had bricks in her legs
- Made of glass
- Like she was drowning in a sea of tissues
- Like a zombie
- Like a cloud over her head
- Lost in a feverish fog
- Like she was sinking into quicksand
- Like a ray of hope
Conclusion
Metaphors help us understand what being sick feels like by comparing it to something we already know. By using metaphors, you can make your descriptions more vivid and relatable. The next time you’re feeling under the weather, try using a metaphor to explain how it feels!
