Jim HoltOliver SacksRobert Louis Stevenson
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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.”
Examples of qualm in a Sentence
Jordan Moreau, Variety, 16 Apr. 2025
But mainstream Jewish groups have expressed qualms about the crackdown, even while approving of the Trump administration’s focus on antisemitism.
—Anemona Hartocollis, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025
The Speaker said the conservative critics still had qualms with the budget resolution.
—Mychael Schnell, The Hill, 10 Apr. 2025
But personal finance experts and consumer advocates say the qualms kicked up by the DoorDash-Klarna deal reflect real financial risks.
—J.j. McCorvey, NBC news, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for qualm
Cite this Entry
“Qualm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/qualm. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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