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

Derived Forms

• cringeworthiness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of cringeworthy

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

Example Sentences

"Excruciating", "sycophantic" and "cringeworthy" are the words being used to describe some of them.

From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026

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

His misguided approach - often aped on the Accidentally Partridge social media account, which shares cringeworthy clips of public figures - is "provocative" but, Coogan hopes, "never mean-spirited."

From BBC • Sep. 30, 2025

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

From "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins