qualm
qualm
noun \ˈkwäm also ˈkwȯm or ˈkwälm\Definition of QUALM
1
: a sudden attack of illness, faintness, or nausea
2
: a sudden access of usually disturbing emotion (as doubt or fear)
3
: a feeling of uneasiness about a point especially of conscience or propriety
— qualmy adjective
Examples of QUALM
- He accepted their offer without a qualm.
- <she has no qualms about downloading pirated music files from the Internet>
Origin of QUALM
origin unknown
First Known Use: circa 1530
Related to QUALM
Related Words: conscience; distrust, doubt, dubiety, incertitude, misdoubt, mistrust, reservation, skepticism, suspicion, uncertainness, uncertainty; qualmishness, unease, uneasiness; reluctance, unwillingness; demur, fuss, objection, protest, question, remonstrance; aversion, disinclination, indisposition, reluctance, unwillingness; guilt, regret, remorse, self-reproach, shame; contrition, penitence, repentance
Near Antonyms: aplomb, assurance, certainty, certitude, confidence, conviction, self-assurance, self-confidence, sureness
Synonym Discussion of 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>.
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