recoil
verb (used without object)
to draw back; start or shrink back, as in alarm, horror, or disgust.
recoiled
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past participleof recoil.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof recoil.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
recoilverb (used without object)to draw back; start or shrink back, as in alarm, horror, or disgust.
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.
But the risks of fame — the kind her friends at Daisy Chain Fields have won, savored and recoiled from — is settling in too.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2026
His detractors recoiled at the ostentatious displays, questioned the origins of his money and his political connections, and saw his lifestyle as a stark illustration of inequality.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
The first night when I went to give the 4 year old a good night hug and kiss, she recoiled and said I was “furry.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026
As an unknown theater actor, Reiner recoiled when strangers pegged him merely as “Carl Reiner’s son.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 15, 2025
Hibiscus recoiled slightly, stunned by Redemption’s resistance, even through his anger.
From "Pet" by Akwaeke Emezi
