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Glite Dictionary
ahem

ahem

3 9.3
A short throat sound people make to get attention or show hesitation
  • noun
  • /əˈhɛm/
translation icon : ejem
  • During the meeting, he cleared his throat with a polite ahem to signal that he wanted to speak.

Examples

  • Are there any other - ahem - details we should cover?

    Owning Mahowny (2003)

  • Well, for example, chapter nineteen: your ahem description of childbirth is a little on the shocking side.

    Angel (2007)

  • "I hated that little 'ahem' thing she did."

    Fiction book (2000)

  • "Tom?" Maggie cleared her throat with a knowing "ahem."

    Fiction book (2000)

  • There was a slight 'Ahem' behind them, and the two turned to face Princess Peach.

    Blog text (14)

  • May this eclipse bring you such, ahem, happy endings.

    Blog text (25)

  • - Ahem, Desi.

    No Appointment Necessary (2017)

  • We will say that the phones available for Vodafone's Red Hot plan are three of the most, ahem, red hot phones in the market today: the Samsung Galaxy S III, the Samsung GALAXY Note II, and the Apple iPhone 5.

    Blog text (2)

  • We're fierce negotiators, even among the toughest of adversaries who can be, ahem, petulant and irrational at times (sound familiar, politicians?).

    Blog text (6)

  • I am just back from Princeton, where we held the annual meeting of the GRE Physics Committee of Examiners, a group of six, ahem, distinguished professors (we have grey hair) who sit around a conference table working through hundreds of potential and actual Physics GRE problems.

    Blog text (1)

Synonyms

buh
vsahem
  • Informal
8 9.9

A short unsure sound you make when you search for words

is a throat-clearing sound used to attract attention rather than search words
hem
vsahem
3 8.4

A short sound made by clearing the throat to get attention or show hesitation

is the same sound but presented as the preferred form or variant
umm
vsahem
  • Informal
2 9.8

A short sound people use to show they are unsure while speaking

is a throat-clearing sign used to attract attention rather than fill speech
harrumph
vsahem
  • Archaic
1 9.2

A short gruff sound that comes from clearing the throat to show annoyance or doubt

is a more neutral clearing sound used for attention or embarrassment
mhm
vsahem
  • Informal
1 9.9

A low sound people make while thinking or hesitating

is an audible throat-clearing used to get attention or express embarrassment
psh
vsahem
  • Informal
1 9.9

A soft sound to get someone's attention without speaking

is a clearer throat-clearing sound used openly to gain attention or show hesitation

How Noticeable

cough
271 1.0
ahem
3 9.3
hem
3 8.4
murmur
36 4.1

Surface Forms

ahem singular
ahems plural

Etymology

Ahem is a small word that copies the short noise people make when they clear their throat, and it is like the little hem in 'hem and haw'. That's why ahem is used 'to get attention', 'to show hesitation', or 'to show embarrassment'.