UNDER the WEATHER – Meaning & Sentence Examples

Learning a number of English idioms can make your English sound more natural and conversational. Idioms also add colour to your language and help you to be more fluent.

In this video we examine the common idiom: “Under the weather” with meanings and examples.

Here is a transcript of the video:

Slide 1:
The Meaning of Under the Weather

Slide 2:
Definition of:
under the weather

slightly unwell, sick

Synonym: indisposed
Definition: mildly ill

The clipart shows a person with a cold, standing under a dark cloud.

Slide 3:
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Slide 4:
The picture shows a girl sitting at home on a sofa, wrapped in a blanket and feeling sick.

Sentence example: She told her boss she was feeling a bit under the weather and wouldn’t be at work today.

Note: In British English it is common to say “a bit under the weather” or “a little under the weather” (typical use of understatement).

Slide 5:
The picture shows a girl with a smile on her face sending a text message.

Sentence example: Her text read: “Sorry I can’t meet you for coffee. I’m feeling a little under the weather today.”

Note: Sometimes this phrase is used in a polite way to decline an invitation or avoid something a person didn’t want to do.

Now let’s see an example of the synonym, ‘indisposed’ –

Slide 6:
The picture shows The White House, Washington D.C.

Sentence example: The president remained indisposed on Tuesday and cancelled all public engagements.

Note: In other words, the president was under the weather and remained at The White House on Tuesday.

Slide 7:
Summary: the idiom under the weather simply means: slightly unwell, sick

Common collocations:
feeling a bit under the weather
feeling a little under the weather

If you want to be more formal and/or very polite, say “I am sorry I cannot attend today as I am indisposed.”

Slide 8:
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Slide 9:
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If you are interested in the meaning of “under the weather”, be sure to check another common idiom:
LET the CAT OUT of the BAG – Meaning

Here are some additional examples of “under the weather” so you can get a full understanding of the meaning:

When you’re under the weather, one of the last things you want is to spend time making dinner, but at the same time, maybe find yourself craving a home-cooked meal.
Source: Salon
https://food52.com/blog/26517-what-to-cook

If theaters offered flexibility and refunds due to sickness, I believe that would help people feel less pressured to go if they were feeling the slightest bit under the weather.
Source: New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/07/theater/tourists-broadway-safety.html

“The victim, now named Selena, is a little under the weather, but she has been having a nice day and is expected to make a full recovery,” the department joked on its Facebook page.
Source: Washington Times
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2022/feb/9/body-discovered-georgia-turns-out-be-doll/

The legendary Chicago Bears player and coach couldn’t make the event as he was under the weather.
Source: Fox News
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/mike-golic-joe-burrow-cigar-smoking

Joyce too woke up the morning after the jab feeling slightly under the weather, while Alex says he had no side-effects at all.
Source: BBC
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-57362906

Image Credits

Slide 4 – little boy
Royalty Free Stock photos by Vecteezy
https://www.vecteezy.com/free-photos

Slide 5 – woman texting
Royalty Free Stock photos by Vecteezy
https://www.vecteezy.com/free-photos

Slide 6 – The White House
Creative Commons
https://flic.kr/p/PF7pB1

Regarding the use of illustrations and photographs used in this video:

Creative Commons Attribution Licence
Others are allowed to copy, distribute, display, and perform copyrighted work – and derivative works based upon it if they give credit to the creator or source.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode

Royalty Free
The image may be used for almost any business, personal, educational or charitable purpose as long as a credit is published to the creator of the image.