un ‧ well /ʌnˈwel/ BrE AmE adjective [not before noun]
formal ill, especially for a short time:
She had been feeling unwell.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say that someone is not well rather than unwell :
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He didn’t come to school because he wasn’t well.
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THESAURUS
▪ ill [not before noun] especially British English suffering from a disease or not feeling well:
Her mother is seriously ill in hospital.
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I woke up feeling really ill.
▪ sick especially American English ill:
She’s been sick with the flu.
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a sick child
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Dan got sick on vacation.
▪ not very well [not before noun] ill, but not seriously ill:
Sarah’s not very well – she has a throat infection.
▪ unwell [not before noun] formal ill:
The singer had been unwell for some time.
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Symptoms include fever, aching muscles, and feeling generally unwell.
▪ poorly [not before noun] British English spoken ill:
Your grandmother’s been very poorly lately.
▪ in a bad way [not before noun] very ill because of a serious injury or disease:
You’d better call an ambulance – she looks like she’s in a bad way.
▪ be off sick British English , be out sick American English to be not at work because of an illness:
Two teachers were off sick yesterday.