"Sick!" When Negative Words Have Positive Meanings
When you learn a new language, you quickly realize that there are often exceptions to rules, and many expressions have meanings that are very different from how they sound. Some words are even used in the opposite way of their original meanings.
The words we will introduce in this article can be used positively even though their original meanings are negative. These are mostly slang terms used in very casual situations. You’ll hear them when chatting with friends, when watching television and when scrolling through social media. Some may surprise you!
Sick
People have different opinions on how important things like money and physical items are to a happy life. However, everyone can agree on the importance of health. So it may be surprising to learn that a word meaning “unhealthy” is often used to talk about something good!
Last night’s party was sick! Why didn’t you come?
Wicked
“Wicked” means “evil.” It isn’t often used in daily conversations with this meaning, however. Casually, something that is wicked is excellent or very high quality.
These cookies are wicked! You have to give me your recipe.
His last novel was wicked. I'm so excited for the next volume.
Kill / Murder
Even words related to death can be used positively!
If someone does something very well or performs a task very skillfully, we can say that they “killed” or "murdered" it.
Saki studied hard for her test and killed it without any problem.
That song is really hard to sing, but Cecile murdered it at the karaoke party last weekend.
“Slay,” which is another way to say “kill,” is now popular slang with the same meaning.
It is often used in more specific situations, such as when talking about comedy or fashion.
Henry’s jokes always slay me. He’s a really funny guy.
Everyone agreed the pop star slayed in her dress at the awards ceremony.
Killer
This is obviously related to our previous words on the list. However, this “killer” is used as an adjective for describing something great.
That restaurant on the corner makes a killer hamburger. It’s the best in the city.
Also, the expression “All killer, no filler” is commonly used to describe something that has no flaws or mistakes and is consistently excellent. We use it when referring to things in a collection such as a musical album, a television series or a group of films.
That TV series is all killer, no filler. Every episode of every season is fantastic.
See also: 'More Than "Friends": Recommended TV for English Learners'
Obsessed
In its original usage, “obsessed” is a very negative word that is similar to “addicted.” If you are obsessed, you are focused on a particular thing in an unnatural and unhealthy way.
Used casually, however, it means you are a very big fan or are really interested in something or someone. You may even see people on social media respond to a post with simply “Obsessed!”
My daughter is absolutely obsessed with K-Pop.
Cliff’s been obsessed with science-fiction and fantasy novels since he was a kid.
Devastating
“Devastating” is an adjective describing something that has a very strong, negative effect. It can be used to talk about physical things or abstract ideas such as emotions.
The damage from the tropical storm was devastating for the small town.
The devastating news shocked everyone.
On the other hand, it can also be used to refer to a strong emotional impact, even if it is not negative.
The critics praised the actor for his devastating performance in the new film.
The book’s finale was absolutely devastating.
Outrageous
“Outrageous” is the adjective form of “outrage,” which is a noun for public anger or shock. While the noun form is mostly used negatively, outrageous is more flexible.
Outrageous can have the nuance of “very inappropriate,” “surprising” or “wild and unusual” depending on the circumstances.
He is known for his strange behavior and outrageous fashion sense.
The winner of this week’s lottery will get an outrageous amount of money.
Crazy / Mad / Mental
While its original meaning is “mentally unwell,” “crazy” is casually used more flexibly in ways that are similar to outrageous.
Alex's birthday party was crazy. We had a great time.
In British English, crazy is often substituted for “mad” or “mental.”
That movie was completely mad. I didn't really understand it, but I definitely enjoyed it.
When the band started playing their biggest hit, the crowd went mental.
Fanatic
The word “fan” is actually a shortened form of “fanatic.”
While fan has become a common way to describe someone who likes a particular person or thing, fanatic often refers to someone whose interest is unhealthy because it is too intense. In this way, it is similar to “obsessive” (a noun version of “obsessed,” explained above).
However, people sometimes use fanatic instead of fan to emphasize how much they like something.
I really like soul music, but Gilles is a soul music fanatic.
Jeff is a craft beer fanatic. He knows everything about it.
Wrap-up
As languages change over time, they often go in surprising or unexpected directions. This includes words describing evil and addiction becoming positive terms that people use every day!
Remember to always pay attention to context to make sure you are understanding a word's meaning correctly. If you can use all of these words properly with both their negative and positive meanings, you’ll have a truly killer vocabulary!
