Squeamish means easily disgusted, nauseated, or upset by unpleasant sights, smells, or ideas. A squeamish person might feel sick watching a medical procedure, turn away from a dissection in science class, or refuse to bait a fishing hook because touching a worm makes them uncomfortable.

Everyone has different tolerance levels for gross or disturbing things. Someone squeamish about blood might become dizzy at the sight of a small cut, while their friend barely notices. You might be squeamish about certain foods (like oysters or liver) but perfectly fine with things that bother other people.

The word often describes a physical reaction: your stomach churns, you feel queasy, or you instinctively look away. But squeamish can also describe being overly sensitive about ideas or situations. Someone might be too squeamish to discuss certain topics at dinner, or squeamish about confrontation and conflict.

Being squeamish isn't the same as being cowardly. A firefighter might charge into a burning building without hesitation but still feel squeamish about needles at the doctor's office. It's simply a strong physical or emotional sensitivity to particular types of unpleasantness. Many people become less squeamish as they get older and encounter more of life's messier realities.