How to pronounce qualm
Say it like KWAHLM. Qualm is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
- KWAHLM
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Qualm pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KWAHLMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of qualm
American and British speakers say qualm in essentially the same way: /kwɑlm/ in the US and /kwɑːm/ in the UK.
British respelling: KWAHM.
What does qualm mean?
- A feeling of apprehension, doubt, fear etc.
- A sudden sickly feeling; queasiness.
- A prick of the conscience; a moral scruple, a pang of guilt.“This lawyer has no qualms about saving people who are on the wrong side of the law.”
- To have a sickly feeling.
Where does qualm come from?
Perhaps from Middle English qualm, cwalm (“death, sickness, plague”), which is from Old English cwealm (West Saxon: "death, disaster, plague"), ūtcualm (Anglian: "utter destruction"), from Proto-West Germanic *kwalm (“killing, death, destru
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying qualm
How do you pronounce qualm?
Say KWAHLM. The American pronunciation is /kwɑlm/. In British English it is /kwɑːm/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in qualm?
Qualm is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: KWAHLM.
Do Americans and Brits say qualm the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /kwɑlm/ and the British form is /kwɑːm/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.