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sic

/sɪk/
/sɪk/
IPA guide

Other forms: sicced; sics; siccing

When urging your dog to chase a thief, you might say, "Sic 'em, Fluffy!" When writing something that might look wrong, you add "[sic]" to indicate you know it's wrong.

When you’re writing a paper and you want to quote a source, but the source contains a misspelling or some other error, you use the word [sic] after the quote so that whoever reads your paper knows the mistake is in the original source, rather than in your own sloppy typing. It’s kind of a way of saying, “Yeah, I know this is wrong, but let’s just be clear — I didn't do it!”

Definitions of sic
  1. adverb
    intentionally so written (used after a printed word or phrase)
  2. verb
    urge to attack someone
    “The owner sicked his dogs on the intruders”
    synonyms: set
    see moresee less
    type of:
    assail, assault, attack, set on
    attack someone physically or emotionally
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘sic'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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