wince

¹ American  

[wins] / wɪns /

verb (used without object)

winces, present (3rd person singular) winced, past participle, past wincing present participle

1. to draw back or tense the body, as from pain or from a blow; start; flinch.

   Synonyms:

   quail, blench

---

noun

1. a wincing or shrinking movement; a slight start.

wince ² American  

[wins] / wɪns /

noun

1. winch.

---

wince ¹ British  

/ wɪns /

verb

1. (intr) to start slightly, as with sudden pain; flinch

---

noun

1. the act of wincing

wince ² British  

/ wɪns /

noun

1. a roller for transferring pieces of cloth between dyeing vats

---

Synonym Usage

Wince, recoil, shrink, quail all mean to draw back from what is dangerous, fearsome, difficult, threatening, or unpleasant. Wince suggests an involuntary contraction of the facial features triggered by pain, embarrassment, or a sense of revulsion: to wince as a needle pierces the skin; to wince at coarse language. Recoil denotes a physical movement away from something disgusting or shocking or a similar psychological shutting out or avoidance: to recoil from contact with a slimy surface; to recoil at the squalor and misery of the slum. Shrink may imply a fastidious or scrupulous avoidance of the distasteful or it may suggest cowardly withdrawal from what is feared: to shrink from confessing a crime; to shrink from going into battle. Quail suggests a loss of heart or courage in the face of danger or difficulty; it sometimes suggests trembling or other manifestations of physical disturbance: to quail before an angry mob.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• wincingness
  noun
• wincer
  noun
• wincingly
  adverb

Conjugated Forms

Present

• have winced
  perfect
• has winced
  perfect 3rd person singular
• is wincing
  progressive 3rd person singular
• have been wincing
  perfect progressive
• has been wincing
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• am wincing
  progressive 1st person singular
• winces
  singular 3rd person
• are wincing
  progressive
• wincing
  participle

Past

• had winced
  perfect
• winced
  simple
• had been wincing
  perfect progressive
• were wincing
  progressive plural
• winced
  participle
• was wincing
  progressive singular

Future

• will wince
  simple
• will have winced
  perfect
• will have been wincing
  perfect progressive
• will be wincing
  progressive

Etymology

Origin of wince

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English winsen, variant of winchen, wenchen “to kick,” from unrecorded Anglo-French wenc(h)ier, Old French guenc(h)ier, from Germanic; cf. wench, winch ¹

Explanation

A wince is a facial or bodily expression of pain, disgust, or regret. Think of something you've done that was really, really embarrassing or dumb: now feel your face or take a look in the mirror as you wince at the uncomfortable memory. A moment of pain or a recollection of something painful can make you wince. It's hard not to have a physical response or a wince with a bad memory or a hurt. And wince is both a verb and a noun, so it can be an action or a result. Sometimes people don’t do anything or have any physical pain, but they wince in discomfort at what someone else does or says, as when no one laughs after a really inappropriate joke.

Example Sentences

Lane had to have been prepared but a subtle wince of disappointment could be detected when the camera pryingly caught his immediate reaction.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026

Almost instantly, you might wince, make a face, or even pull your own hand away.

From Science Daily • Dec. 23, 2025

"The noise that made I was like: 'Oh my God,'" he remembered with a wince.

From BBC • Nov. 8, 2025

So while people may wince at the price, they’re buying it anyway–and reserving the right to rant.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 3, 2025

He clapped Dad on the shoulder, which made Dad wince.

From "P.S. I Miss You" by Jen Petro-Roy

Related Words

• back off
• blanch
• cower
• cringe
• flinch
• grimace
• recoil