Ad Nauseam / *Ad Nauseum | Meaning & Examples

Ad nauseam is an adverb meaning ‘to a sickening degree’.

It’s usually not used literally to refer to sickness or nausea but instead means that something is going on and on, or being repeated over and over, until it becomes annoying or boring (until you’re sick of it).

Though people often misspell it ‘ad nauseum’, the only correct spelling is ‘ad nauseam’.

Ad nauseam is a term that comes from Latin, but it’s been used in English for hundreds of years, so you don’t need to italicise it as you would for a more recent loanword.

Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text

Be assured that you'll submit flawless writing. Upload your document to correct all your mistakes.

Other interesting language articles

If you want to know more about frequently confused words, definitions, and differences between US and UK spellings, make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations, examples, and quizzes.