cringey
Americanadjective
-
causing a reaction or feeling of embarrassment, awkwardness, or discomfort; cringeworthy.
The movie brought back my cringey middle school memories.
-
seeking favor by means of servile behavior or flattery.
His talk show is mostly cringey interviews with celebrities.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of cringey
First recorded in 1965–70; cringe ( def. ) + -y 1 ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And what the ill-fated project foretold about today’s entertainment culture is almost as cringey as watching Simpson try to rebuild his brand.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
I skipped cringey events like “Guess the weight of the sculpture” and an “inch of gold” sale in favor of a $45 sushi-making class at Izumi, the cruise line’s Japanese restaurant.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 3, 2026
Something similar played out a few years back with Geriatric Millennials, born in the early '80s, whose brand of humour—the crying-laughing emoji, finger moustaches and the word "adulting"—was derided as cringey.
From BBC ● Jan. 17, 2026
That was unexpected and made me feel terrible for him, but again, I was grateful I didn’t have to watch the cringey moment.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2025
The rest of the movie, you share snacks with Lucy, rolling your eyes together at a cringey line, whispering about sea turtles and climate change.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
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