squeamish

American  

[skwee-mish] / ˈskwi mɪʃ /

adjective

1. fastidious or dainty.

   Synonyms:

   modest

   Antonyms:

   bold

2. easily shocked by anything slightly immodest; prudish.

   Antonyms:

   bold

3. excessively particular or scrupulous as to the moral aspect of things.

   Synonyms:

   exacting, delicate, finicky, finical

   Antonyms:

   bold

4. easily nauseated or disgusted.

   to get squeamish at the sight of blood.

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squeamish British  

/ ˈskwiːmɪʃ /

adjective

1. easily sickened or nauseated, as by the sight of blood

2. easily shocked; fastidious or prudish

3. easily frightened

   squeamish about spiders

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Other Word Forms

• oversqueamishness
  noun
• squeamishness
  noun
• unsqueamishness
  noun
• oversqueamish
  adjective
• unsqueamish
  adjective
• oversqueamishly
  adverb
• squeamishly
  adverb
• unsqueamishly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of squeamish

First recorded in 1450–1500; late Middle English squaymysch, squaimish(e), alteration of squemes, squaymes, squaimous, squaymous “easily nauseated, nauseating, fastidious,” from Anglo-French escoimus, escoymous; further origin uncertain

Explanation

If you fainted or threw up at the sight of frog intestines in biology class, you’re squeamish — easily nauseated or shocked by unpleasant, icky things. No horror movies for you! We get squeamish from the Anglo-French word escoimous, meaning disdainful or shy. It can mean shy of blood or gore, or less often, it is used to describe a prissy kind of fear of confrontation with others. How can you become a heart surgeon if you’re squeamish enough to faint every time you get a paper cut? If you’re squeamish about confronting the noisy neighbors, why not slip a note under their door asking them to pipe down?

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

squeamish

Germans for good reasons are squeamish about articulating a strong idea of “Germanness.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026

Here McDermott’s inspired staging demonstrated that Glass’ forgiving personal portrait of Walt Disney makes it the quintessential Hollywood opera that no one dares bring to squeamish Hollywood.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 5, 2026

Hollywood, however, is hardly squeamish when it comes to synchronized jugglers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 5, 2026

For people who feel squeamish about the process, she said it was important to know the facts around donation, adding it often helped the grieving process for families.

From BBC ● Feb. 9, 2026

But any adventurous readers who are not too squeamish can make the test and prove it for themselves.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Related Words

• dizzy
• fastidious
• fussy
• queasy