qualm

noun

\ ˈkwäm

also ˈkwȯm or ˈkwälm

Definition of qualm

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

Other Words from qualm Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about qualm

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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

Did You Know?

Etymologists aren't sure where qualm originated, but they do know it entered English around 1530. Originally, it referred to a sudden sick feeling. Robert Louis Stevenson made use of this older sense in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: A qualm came over me, a horrid nausea and the most deadly shuddering. Soon after qualm entered the language, it came to designate not only sudden attacks of illness, but also sudden attacks of emotion or principle. In The Sketch Book, for example, Washington Irving wrote, Immediately after one of these fits of extravagance, he will be taken with violent qualms of economy.... Eventually, qualm took on the specific (and now most common) meaning of doubt or uneasiness, particularly in not following one's conscience or better judgment.

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

Needless to say, the former Fixer Upper star has no qualms about sharing her ups and downs with the world. — Megan Stein, Country Living, "Joanna Gaines Shares an Intimate Look at Her New Life with Baby Crew," 16 Feb. 2019 Alternately, ignoring widespread opposition among his opponents and qualms among conservatives, Mr. Trump could choose to invoke emergency powers as the best way of keeping faith with his core supporters. — William A. Galston, WSJ, "Trump’s Pinned to a Wall Few Americans Want," 15 Jan. 2019 The song follows a simple narrative of Drake, yet again, getting into a qualm with a femme fatale -- a subject MJ definitely knew a thing or two about. — Scott Glaysher, Billboard, "Ranking Each Song From the B-Side of Drake's 'Scorpion' Album: Critic's Take," 30 June 2018 Some of the qualms from NFL teams are with Jackson’s build. — Jake Lourim, The Courier-Journal, "The cases for and against Lamar Jackson to enter the NFL draft," 2 Jan. 2018 And for now, at least, fans have few qualms about letting Lagerwey take a crack at a better full-season’s performance the next time around. — Geoff Baker, The Seattle Times, "Sounders GM Garth Lagerwey prepares for longer offseason after fans sign off on retaining him," 13 Nov. 2018 But after a deadly event like the Capital Gazette shooting, the moral and legal qualms about a service like Geofeedia clash with its possible utility. — Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, "What the Capital Gazette Shooting Reveals About Face Recognition," 29 June 2018 The trio have had several qualms in recent seasons, including Brady’s trainer and business partner Alex Guerrero, and the Patriots’ plans at quarterback in the coming seasons. — Max Meyer, SI.com, "Report: Disagreements Over Personnel, Trainers at Center of Patriots' Rift," 5 Jan. 2018 The last thing Godard's fertile '60s period ever felt like was a mannered checklist of film's possibilities, but Hazanavicius has no such qualms as a pastiche fanboy. — Robert Abele, latimes.com, "'Godard Mon Amour' isn't as smart or funny a sendup as it wants to be," 19 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'qualm.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.