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

What should be the most cringeworthy sequence to echo through multiplexes this decade is, magically, one of its most immediately touching.

From Salon • Mar. 21, 2026

For example, Freya's wedding planning is turned into a problematic and cringeworthy social media campaign by her agents, the Olivias, played by Emma Sidi and Hanako Footman.

From BBC • Mar. 14, 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

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

From "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins