queasy

[ kwee-zee ]

adjective

, quea·si·er, quea·si·est.

1. inclined to or feeling nausea, as the stomach, a person, etc.; nauseous; nauseated.
2. tending to cause nausea; nauseating.
3. uneasy or uncomfortable, as feelings, the conscience, etc.

   Synonyms: worried, anxious, upset

4. squeamish; excessively fastidious.

queasy

/ ˈkwiːzɪ /

adjective

1. having the feeling that one is about to vomit; nauseous
2. feeling or causing uneasiness

   a queasy conscience

Derived Forms

• ˈqueasily, adverb
• ˈqueasiness, noun

Other Words From

• queasi·ly adverb
• queasi·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of queasy¹

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English qweysy, coisi, of uncertain origin

Word History and Origins

Origin of queasy¹

C15: of uncertain origin

Example Sentences

The prospect should make all Americans queasy, for Kennedy is a one-stop shop for conspiracy theories ranging from anti-vaccine claims to outright antisemitism.

From Los Angeles Times

From the moment he rode a golden escalator downward and into the queasy gut of American political life, Donald Trump did it his way — unbridled by precedent, often powered by “alternative facts” and dedicated to the proposition that only he could “make America great again.”

From Los Angeles Times

While Trump’s rally was a queasy melange of racist insults and frightening promises, Griffin’s show was a spectacle of raw, force-of-nature talent.

From Salon

The ways in which our information is now totally beyond our control make all of us queasy or, if we think about it a little longer, angry.

From Slate

When I wasn’t actively throwing up, I was still a queasy combination of hungry and nauseous.

From Slate

Related Words

• anxious
• fidgety
• groggy
• restless
• sickly
• squeamish
• uncomfortable
• uneasy