qualm

noun

ˈkwäm 

 also  ˈkwȯm,

or

ˈkwälm 

1

: a feeling of uneasiness about a point especially of conscience or propriety

had no qualms about asking for their help

It was about an enduring secular world where people did unspeakable things, seemingly without qualm and without any grave consequences to themselves.

—Jim Holt

2

: a sudden feeling of usually disturbing emotion (such as doubt or fear)

I had a qualm of absolute horror, and shuddered; and then the emotion was immediately repressed or suppressed.

—Oliver Sacks

3

: a sudden attack of illness, faintness, or nausea

The doctor seemed seized with a qualm of faintness.

—Robert Louis Stevenson

qualmy

ˈkwä-mē 

 also  ˈkwȯ-

 or  ˈkwäl-

adjective

Did you know?

We're not sure how qualm came to be (it may be related to a similar German word), but we know this word was originally used to refer to a sudden sick feeling, such as nausea or faintness, and then for a sudden attack of usually disturbing emotion, such as grief or doubt. Both these senses are still in use: a person may be described, for example, as experiencing a qualm of nausea or a qualm of fear. These days, though, you’re most likely to hear qualm used in its newest sense, referring to a feeling of uneasiness, particularly about whether a person is following their conscience or better judgment. You’re especially likely to hear this sense of qualm used in negative statements, such as “We have no qualms about telling you what sort of things the word qualm does.”

Synonyms

• doubt
• objection
• regret
• compunction

Choose the Right Synonym for qualm

qualm, scruple, compunction, demur mean a misgiving about what one is doing or going to do.

qualm implies an uneasy fear that one is not following one's conscience or better judgment.

no qualms about plagiarizing

scruple implies doubt of the rightness of an act on grounds of principle.

no scruples against buying stolen goods

compunction implies a spontaneous feeling of responsibility or compassion for a potential victim.

had compunctions about lying

demur implies hesitation caused by objection to an outside suggestion or influence.

accepted her decision without demur

Examples of qualm in a Sentence

He accepted their offer without a qualm.

she has no qualms about downloading pirated music files from the Internet

Recent Examples on the Web

But many in attendance seemed to have no such qualms. —Jason Henry, New York Times, 3 May 2025

And anyway he’s got his qualms about being compared too directly to the likes of Willie and Waylon. —Tribune News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 June 2025

There’s also the qualm that once the world realizes AGI has been achieved, perhaps mass panic will arise, or evildoers will seek to turn AGI toward global extinction. —Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025

And while most students might bristle at the idea of their teachers dating their cousin (Richa Moorjani), Devi has little to no qualms about welcoming Mr. K into her family. —James Mercadante, EW.com, 6 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

circa 1530, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for qualm

• balm
• bom
• bomb
• calm
• dom
• halm
• hom
• malm
• mam
• mom
• palm
• pom

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Kids Definition

qualm

noun

ˈkwäm  ˈkwälm 

 also  ˈkwȯm

1

: a sudden attack of illness, faintness, or nausea

2

: a sudden fear

3

: a feeling of doubt or indecision in matters of right and wrong

had qualms about coming home late

qualmy

-ē

adjective