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
On the same day Taylor's reputation tour kicked off in Phoenix, Perry extended a literal olive branch to the singer, who, perhaps, wasn't (ahem) ready for it.
—
Ruth Kinane, EW.com, 5 Apr. 2024
For those of us who are, ahem, challenged in this area, Mairanz offers the following tips:
Add date nights or other plans and self-care time to your schedule just like any other appointment.
—Melissa Willets, Parents, 20 Mar. 2024
Unlike the company's most popular savings event (ahem, Prime Day), this sale is stacked with deals that all customers — regardless of their Prime subscription status — can jump on.
—Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 20 Mar. 2024
Sadness is not a problem to be solved, but rather a symptom of the human (*ahem, amphibian) condition.
—Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024
More of a rich and buttery toffee than Park Avenue blonde, Jolie’s glossy new hair color – accentuated by a bouncy blow dry–looked the epitome of health and (ahem) wealth.
—Lauren Murdoch-Smith, Vogue, 22 Feb. 2024
In some of the major metro areas surveyed—such as, ahem, the home of the repeat Super Bowl champions—two-thirds of small businesses said finding qualified employees was moderately or extremely difficult.
—Dane Stangler, Forbes, 15 Feb. 2024
Children need to feel that the parent is on their side (not how many of us were raised, ahem).
—Meghan Leahy, Washington Post, 14 Feb. 2024
And no, this is not censorship; no one prevented Rodgers from speaking his, ahem, mind.
—Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 10 Jan. 2024
Ruth Kinane, EW.com, 5 Apr. 2024
For those of us who are, ahem, challenged in this area, Mairanz offers the following tips:
Add date nights or other plans and self-care time to your schedule just like any other appointment.
—Melissa Willets, Parents, 20 Mar. 2024
Unlike the company's most popular savings event (ahem, Prime Day), this sale is stacked with deals that all customers — regardless of their Prime subscription status — can jump on.
—Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 20 Mar. 2024
Sadness is not a problem to be solved, but rather a symptom of the human (*ahem, amphibian) condition.
—Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024
More of a rich and buttery toffee than Park Avenue blonde, Jolie’s glossy new hair color – accentuated by a bouncy blow dry–looked the epitome of health and (ahem) wealth.
—Lauren Murdoch-Smith, Vogue, 22 Feb. 2024
In some of the major metro areas surveyed—such as, ahem, the home of the repeat Super Bowl champions—two-thirds of small businesses said finding qualified employees was moderately or extremely difficult.
—Dane Stangler, Forbes, 15 Feb. 2024
Children need to feel that the parent is on their side (not how many of us were raised, ahem).
—Meghan Leahy, Washington Post, 14 Feb. 2024
And no, this is not censorship; no one prevented Rodgers from speaking his, ahem, mind.
—Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 10 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ahem.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near ahem
Cite this Entry
“Ahem.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ahem. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share