queasy
Americanadjective
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having the feeling that one is about to vomit; nauseous
-
feeling or causing uneasiness
a queasy conscience
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of queasy
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English qweysy, coisi, of uncertain origin
Explanation
Queasy describes a feeling of nervousness, uneasiness, or anxiety. If you're queasy about making a speech in front of the entire high school, you have a feeling that it won't go well. Queasy can also mean feeling sick to your stomach. If you eat a sandwich made of turkey that expired two months ago, you'll likely feel queasy and throw up. If you feel queasy during a flight, both meanings of the word can apply: you may be queasy — as in anxious — because you're afraid of flying. And you may also be queasy — as in sick to your stomach — as a result of the air turbulence.
Vocabulary lists containing queasy
Flowers for Algernon
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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
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A Thousand Splendid Suns
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Q. Queasy quandary: I have a very sensitive stomach and cannot handle the sight of blood or vomit without feeling sick.
From Slate • Jan. 12, 2021
Dear Amy: "Queasy in Florida" wanted to put an anonymous note in the mailbox of a woman at her retirement community, criticizing her behavior at the home's communal dining table.
From Washington Post • Mar. 29, 2020
Queasy space-rock that welds electronic gurgles to a Sabbath-esque riff, and takes self-aggrandisement to acid-drenched extremes.
From The Guardian • Feb. 24, 2011
Queasy lawmakers last acted in February 2010, when they extracted a promise from Obama to create a special bipartisan commission on deficit reduction.
From Washington Post • Jan. 6, 2011
Then there were the Stylish Strollers, the Huffers and Puffers, the Lovebirds, leaning on each other, the Queasy Stomachs who clutched the railing and hoped for the best.
From "Homesick" by Jean Fritz
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
