wince
1 Americanverb (used without object)
-
winces,
present (3rd person singular)
-
winced,
past participle, past
-
wincing
present participle
noun
noun
verb
noun
noun
Synonym Usage
Wince, recoil, shrink, quail all mean to draw back from what is dangerous, fearsome, difficult, threatening, or unpleasant. Wince suggests an involuntary contraction of the facial features triggered by pain, embarrassment, or a sense of revulsion: to wince as a needle pierces the skin; to wince at coarse language. Recoil denotes a physical movement away from something disgusting or shocking or a similar psychological shutting out or avoidance: to recoil from contact with a slimy surface; to recoil at the squalor and misery of the slum. Shrink may imply a fastidious or scrupulous avoidance of the distasteful or it may suggest cowardly withdrawal from what is feared: to shrink from confessing a crime; to shrink from going into battle. Quail suggests a loss of heart or courage in the face of danger or difficulty; it sometimes suggests trembling or other manifestations of physical disturbance: to quail before an angry mob.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
wincesimple
-
wincessimple
-
have wincedperfect
-
has wincedperfect
-
am wincingprogressive
-
are wincingprogressive
-
is wincingprogressive
-
have been wincingperfect progressive
-
has been wincingperfect progressive
Past
-
wincedsimple
-
had wincedperfect
-
was wincingprogressive
-
were wincingprogressive
-
had been wincingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of wince
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English winsen, variant of winchen, wenchen “to kick,” from unrecorded Anglo-French wenc(h)ier, Old French guenc(h)ier, from Germanic; cf. wench, winch 1
Explanation
A wince is a facial or bodily expression of pain, disgust, or regret. Think of something you've done that was really, really embarrassing or dumb: now feel your face or take a look in the mirror as you wince at the uncomfortable memory. A moment of pain or a recollection of something painful can make you wince. It's hard not to have a physical response or a wince with a bad memory or a hurt. And wince is both a verb and a noun, so it can be an action or a result. Sometimes people don’t do anything or have any physical pain, but they wince in discomfort at what someone else does or says, as when no one laughs after a really inappropriate joke.
Vocabulary lists containing wince
The Lingo of Body Language
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Harrison Bergeron"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"The Ravine," Vocabulary from the short story
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Come on, play something,’” Hopkins said, imitating the wince he gave Fenton at the time.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
Around me, I saw the same expression: a tightened jaw, a wince, a silent hope that the child would be fine.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
It’s taking up space that could be used for food you actually want to eat — food that nourishes you, that doesn’t make you wince a little every time you see it.
From Salon ● Mar. 19, 2026
Almost instantly, you might wince, make a face, or even pull your own hand away.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 23, 2025
She gives an apologetic wince and says, “I have to report your unexcused tardiness.”
From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day
She winces now hearing those words read aloud.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 2, 2026
Bertrand Degat, vineyard manager for French zero-alcohol wine producer French Bloom, winces visibly when recalling some of the criticism and snobbery he has encountered from his contemporaries.
From Barron's ● Feb. 12, 2026
In one tense scene with her white colleagues, Cosey winces at their version of historical enlightenment — the reclamation project is moving at a horse-drawn carriage’s pace.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 6, 2026
Speaking in the art studio of his Brixton flat, he visibly winces as he remembers what happened.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2025
My dad winces a little, like my words have struck him.
From "Internment" by Samira Ahmed
Stepping into the arcade, he winced as he accidentally bumped into someone.
From Slate ● Jun. 25, 2026
He winced at the idea that Abby would now be handed the keys.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026
Figueroa winced, smiled and fired back to the body.
From BBC ● Feb. 7, 2026
The ensuing sound of the collision's initial impact was so loud that jurors winced after being warned to decrease the volume on their listening devices.
From Barron's ● Feb. 2, 2026
Josie winced, but she still squared her shoulders and said, “Then if we have to go into the maze, we have to go into the maze.”
From "The School for Whatnots" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
It feels daring for how it wants to actually examine the emotional costs of contemporary grown-up life, bringing wincing laughs of recognition.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 25, 2026
“I love bacon and chicharrónes, but I could never eat pork uterus,” I confess, wincing at our 60” Insignia television screen.
From Salon ● Jun. 15, 2026
Sinner took lengthy off-court breaks at the end of each set, but continued to struggle, walking gingerly, wincing and hunching over his racquet between points.
From BBC ● May 28, 2026
On the one hand, they cheered the clampdown on cheaper Asian imports but on the other were left wincing at the rising costs of their inputs.
From Barron's ● Jan. 31, 2026
I stuff the stapled sheets deeper inside my book bag, wincing as the papers crumple.
From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
