queasy

adjective

quea·​sy ˈkwē-zē 

variants or less commonly queazy

queasier; queasiest

1

a

: causing nausea

queasy motion

b

: suffering from nausea : nauseated

2

: full of doubt : hazardous

3

a

: causing uneasiness

b(1)

: delicate, squeamish

(2)

: ill at ease

queasily

ˈkwē-zə-lē 

adverb

queasiness

ˈkwē-zē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• ill
• nauseated
• nauseous
• qualmish
• queer
• queerish
• sick
• sickish
• squeamish

Examples of queasy in a Sentence

The boat ride made me a little queasy.

She complained of a queasy stomach.

He feels queasy about taking the test.

She had the queasy feeling that she was being watched.

Recent Examples on the Web

The atmosphere is enhanced by the hand-in-hand elements of Damian Volpe’s heavy soundscape and Robin Carolan’s moody score, which ranges from symphonic grandeur to agitato strings, pipes and horns specific to the region at that time to queasy atonal groans. —David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Dec. 2024

The movie Sundown was shot on location in Texarkana, Tex., and features many locals in small parts, imbuing the movie with a queasy realism. —Declan Gallagher and Chris Bellamy, EW.com, 31 Oct. 2024

But there’s also a pathos to the character that makes his queasy deal easier to stomach. —Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2024

Over the past four decades, Chile has made a disorienting journey from state of terror to hopeful democracy to queasy malaise. —Carolina A. Miranda, The Atlantic, 18 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English coysy, qwesye

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

queasy

adjective

quea·​sy

variants also queazy

ˈkwē-zē 

queasier; queasiest

1

: somewhat nauseated

the boat ride made me queasy

2

: full of doubt

queasy about taking the test

queasily

-zə-lē 

adverb

queasiness

-zē-nəs 

noun