Standard Lemma guide

ahem

intj · verb · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /əˈhɛm/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɛm

1

intj

Meaning 1

The sound of a quiet cough or of clearing one's throat.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: onomatopoeic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

intj

Meaning 2

Demanding attention.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Ahem! Could we please get started?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

intj

Meaning 3

Expresses disapproval or annoyance.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Ahem! In case you didn't notice, I did my share of the work, too.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

intj

Meaning 4

Indicates the speaker does not wish to be perceived as rude, often intimating an impolite meaning to a third party that the speaker is not addressing.

Indicates subtle sarcasm, polite lying, or euphemism.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • I really (ahem!) liked the chocolate broccoli surprise.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

intj

Meaning 5

Indicates the speaker does not wish to be perceived as rude, often intimating an impolite meaning to a third party that the speaker is not addressing.

Indicates an inappropriate pun.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To cough or clear one's throat so as to draw attention.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

the utterance of a sound similar to clearing the throat; intended to get attention, express hesitancy, fill a pause, hide embarrassment, warn a friend, etc.

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: hem

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: utterance, vocalization

History

Etymology

Onomatopoeic.

Across languages

Translations

20 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Czech: ehm — onomatopoeia
  • Finnish: kröhöm — onomatopoeia
  • Greek: γκουχ (gkouch) — onomatopoeia
  • Greek: γκούχου (gkoúchou) — onomatopoeia
  • Japanese: ゴホン (gohon) — onomatopoeia
  • Japanese: コホン (kohon) — onomatopoeia
  • Japanese: げほげほ (gehogeho) — onomatopoeia
  • Tagalog: ehem — onomatopoeia
  • Tagalog: tikhim — onomatopoeia
  • Vietnamese: e hèm — onomatopoeia
  • Czech: ehm — exclamation or cough to get attention
  • Finnish: kröhöm — exclamation or cough to get attention
  • Finnish: öhöm — exclamation or cough to get attention
  • Japanese: エヘン (ehen) — exclamation or cough to get attention
  • Spanish: ejem — exclamation or cough to get attention
  • Tagalog: tikhim — exclamation or cough to get attention
  • Vietnamese: e hèm — exclamation or cough to get attention
  • Finnish: öhöm — exclamation of disapproval or annoyance
  • Finnish: köh — exclamation to indicate sarcasm
  • Finnish: öhöm — exclamation to indicate sarcasm