cringe

[krinj]

verb (used without object)

cringed, cringing 

1. 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.

2. to feel very embarrassed or awkward; react with discomfort.

   Some of us cringed at the speaker’s tactless comments.

3. 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

1. an act or instance of shrinking back, bending, or crouching.

   The gunshots elicited a cringe of terror.

2. an instance of being very embarrassed, awkward, or uncomfortable.

   Some of his outfits are bizarre enough to induce a cringe or two.

3. servile or fawning deference.

adjective

1. 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

1. to shrink or flinch, esp in fear or servility

2. to behave in a servile or timid way

3. informal

   1. to wince in embarrassment or distaste

   2. to experience a sudden feeling of embarrassment or distaste

noun

1. the act of cringing

2. subservience to overseas cultural standards

Other Word Forms

• cringer noun
• cringingly adverb
• cringingness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of cringe¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English crengen, crenchen (transitive); Old English crencean, crencgean (unattested), causative of cringan, crincan “to yield, fall (in battle)”

Word History and Origins

Origin of cringe¹

Old English cringan to yield in battle; related to Old Norse krangr weak, Middle High German krenken to weaken

Example Sentences

Somehow, in the age of cringe comedy, he became more endearing the longer his show aired.

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The thought of diving into that water makes me cringe; just last weekend, Autumn was here, live streaming while she helped clean the river of toxins and pollutants.

Read more on Literature

Does Skipper cringe every time Iamaleava gets hit given the possibility of an injury?

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Posting your partner frequently can come across as "cringe" and "culturally loser-ish", Joseph writes.

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With art at the moment, it’s so specific that sometimes it cringes me out.

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Related Words

• cower 
• kneel 
• quiver 
• tremble 
• wince