cringeworthy

or cringe-wor·thy

[ krinj-wur-thee ]

/ ˈkrɪndʒˌwɜr ði /

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adjective

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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CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

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Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of cringeworthy

First recorded in 1975–80; cringe + -worthy

OTHER WORDS FROM cringeworthy

cringe·wor·thi·ness, noun

Words nearby cringeworthy

crimson clover, crimson flag, crine, cringe, cringe-making, cringeworthy, cringey, cringle, crinite, crinkle, crinkle leaf

How to use cringeworthy in a sentence

“She was a jewel of a wife … with just one flaw,” read one of the many cringeworthy Lysol ads produced in early 1900s America.
Accidental Genius: 10 Surprising Inventions|Emma Foster|July 30, 2021|Ozy
To Marris—and to many readers, I’d expect, myself included—there is something cringeworthy here.
What Makes an Animal Wild?|Boyce Upholt|June 29, 2021|Outside Online
The replies to Kim Doughty’s Twitter thread are both hilarious and cringeworthy.
Optimize your email campaigns with the updated Email Marketing Periodic Table; Tuesday’s daily brief|George Nguyen|June 1, 2021|Search Engine Land
The reward for winning the cringeworthy NFC East last season is a gantlet of elite opponents, including five division winners and the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 10.
Washington’s schedule includes three prime-time games and matchups with Chiefs and Bucs|Sam Fortier|May 13, 2021|Washington Post

Aside from an occasional cringeworthy off-site exercise, most managers are simply thrown into tough conversations and have to tread water.
This new VR simulator helps you prepare for the most awkward office encounters|Lee Clifford|November 30, 2020|Fortune
Have you ever witnessed one that was particularly cringeworthy?
Imagine Andy Samberg as Your Best Man|Kevin Fallon|September 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
What this portends for next year and beyond is cringeworthy.
The Real Housewives of Miss America|Kate Shindle|September 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
At points, Tomorrow Night is all of those things, ranging from cringeworthy to laugh-out-loud funny.
‘Tomorrow Night’ Review: Louis C.K.’s 1998 Indie Movie Is F**ing Weird|Nina Strochlic|January 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But thank Idol for the cringeworthy joy of watching Britney Spears somnambulantly giving out singing advice on live television.
7 Ways ‘American Idol’ Revolutionized TV|Kevin Fallon|January 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We know that failure of justice is not infrequent; it just never had such a cringeworthy label.
No, Affluenza Is Not a Real Thing|Dr. Michelle K. London|December 16, 2013|DAILY BEAST