Advertisement
Advertisement
cringe
[ krinj ]
verb (used without object)
- to shrink back, bend, or crouch, especially in fear, pain, or servility; cower: They cringed and bowed before the king.
She cringed in a corner and started praying.
They cringed and bowed before the king.
- to feel very embarrassed or awkward; react with discomfort:
Some of us cringed at the speaker’s tactless comments.
- to seek favor by acting in a servile way; fawn:
He has never cringed to anyone—in fact, he can sometimes be a bully.
noun
- an act or instance of shrinking back, bending, or crouching:
The gunshots elicited a cringe of terror.
- an instance of being very embarrassed, awkward, or uncomfortable:
Some of his outfits are bizarre enough to induce a cringe or two.
- servile or fawning deference.
adjective
- Slang. causing embarrassment or resulting in awkward discomfort; cringeworthy; cringey:
Her attempt to rap at the talent show was so very cringe.
cringe
/ krɪndʒ /
verb
- to shrink or flinch, esp in fear or servility
- to behave in a servile or timid way
- informal.
- to wince in embarrassment or distaste
- to experience a sudden feeling of embarrassment or distaste
noun
- the act of cringing
- the cultural cringesubservience to overseas cultural standards
Discover More
Derived Forms
- ˈcringer, noun
- ˈcringingly, adverb
Discover More
Other Words From
- cring·er noun
- cring·ing·ly adverb
- cring·ing·ness noun
Discover More
Word History and Origins
Origin of cringe1
Discover More
Word History and Origins
Origin of cringe1
Discover More
Example Sentences
I would cringe the same way you would if I felt [the depiction was problematic].
Maybe you managed not to cringe at his take on the Bard in Shakespeare in Love, making you a stronger person than most.
The other one is silly and perhaps because of that even more cringe-worthy.
In hindsight, it is one of the more cringe-inducing campaign promises Barack Obama ever made.
If the first 12 minutes of game footage released this month is any indication, the writing in Hardline is cringe-worthy at best.
The same amount of pride which makes a man treat haughtily his inferiors, makes him cringe servilely to those above him.
And then, that a thought should knock me prone, and make me cringe—from the mere fact of its lowness and meanness!
The captives were pale and seemed to cringe from the pale interrogation light.
My grand signior, Vouchsafe a beso las manos, and a cringe Of the last edition.
Beside a falsify may spoil his cringe, Or making of a leg, in which consists Much of his Court-perfection.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Browse