cringeworthy

American  

[krinj-wur-thee] / ˈkrɪndʒˌwɜr ði /

Or cringe-worthy

adjective

1. causing a reaction or feeling of embarrassment, awkwardness, or discomfort.

   They exchanged glances at the show’s cringeworthy attempts at humor.

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Other Word Forms

• cringeworthiness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of cringeworthy

First recorded in 1975–80; cringe ( def. ) + -worthy ( def. )

Example Sentences

But, game as the actors are in playing up the sad and cringeworthy complications, the start-over imperative should have been taken to heart when the script was in the writing stage.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

The text exchanges contain nothing remotely illegal or related to Epstein’s crimes yet are cringeworthy enough as to have forced Mr. Summers to take leave from teaching duties at Harvard.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 20, 2025

The backups provided some cringeworthy moments in a 30-23 loss to the San Francisco 49ers — coach Jim Harbaugh’s old team — making some troubling gaffes in a sloppy second half in Santa Clara.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 24, 2025

“Another Simple Favor” pushes the limits of mainstream filmmaking every chance it gets, in ways so cringeworthy and stupefying that it’s difficult not to, at the very least, respect Feig’s chutzpah.

From Salon • May 3, 2025

It’s awful, cringeworthy, but I start to weep.

From "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins