ahem
interjection
a throat-clearing sound; often read as
ə-ˈhem 
—used especially to attract attention or to express disapproval or embarrassment
Examples of ahem in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
About 90 million K-pop albums were sold last year but plenty of, ahem, older music fans are still unfamiliar.
—
Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
Zendaya and her — ahem, reported — husband are also slated to share the screen multiple times this year.
—Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
What started out as the robot’s routine dance and greeting a few weeks ago ran amok when someone — ahem, a human — accidentally ordered up a high-energy act, according to an employee at the Main Street Cupertino restaurant on Stevens Creek Boulevard.
—Linda Zavoral, Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2026
The thick straps provide welcome support for those of us with a fuller bust (ahem, me), and the color blocking along the seams adds a chic touch.
—Annie Blackman, InStyle, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ahem
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Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
Zendaya and her — ahem, reported — husband are also slated to share the screen multiple times this year.
—Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
What started out as the robot’s routine dance and greeting a few weeks ago ran amok when someone — ahem, a human — accidentally ordered up a high-energy act, according to an employee at the Main Street Cupertino restaurant on Stevens Creek Boulevard.
—Linda Zavoral, Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2026
The thick straps provide welcome support for those of us with a fuller bust (ahem, me), and the color blocking along the seams adds a chic touch.
—Annie Blackman, InStyle, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ahem
Cite this Entry
“Ahem.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ahem. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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