ahem

interjection

a throat-​clearing sound; often read as
ə-ˈhem How to pronounce ahem (audio)
used especially to attract attention or to express disapproval or embarrassment

Examples of ahem in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The pair walked the red—ahem—blue carpet together, with Rihanna in a baby blue ensemble on theme with the event. Catharine Malzahn, Glamour, 1 July 2025 Meanwhile, Acid gets deserved high marks for doing a fusion of Miley’s aesthetic with her own, serving ahem the best of both worlds. Chris Feil, Vulture, 20 June 2025 The box set’s title alludes to the series of Gong albums in the early 1970s based on a science fiction-meets-hippie-esque mythos of a Planet Gong inhabited by — ahem! George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 June 2025 And a warning sign stood outside Lu’s enclosure cautioning visitors of his, ahem, splatter zone. Michaela Mulligan, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for ahem

Word History

Etymology

imitative

First Known Use

1603, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ahem was in 1603

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Cite this Entry

“Ahem.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ahem. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.

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