Definition

1. Verb:
   • To shrink back or bend down in fear, submission, or disgust: To physically recoil or draw away from something perceived as frightening, threatening, or unpleasant.
   • To feel embarrassed or uncomfortable on behalf of someone else: To experience a sudden inward feeling of acute embarrassment or awkwardness caused by the actions of another person.

Usage

• As a verb (intransitive): The word "cringe" describes an involuntary physical or emotional reaction. It is often followed by words like "at," "away from," or "in."
  • He cringed at the sound of nails on a chalkboard. (He physically recoiled due to the unpleasant sound.)
  • I cringe whenever I remember my awkward teenage years. (I feel intense embarrassment when I recall my past.)
  • The dog cringed away from its angry owner. (The dog shrank back in fear.)

Advanced Usage

• "To make someone cringe": To cause someone to feel secondhand embarrassment or discomfort.
  • His attempt at flirting was so awkward it made everyone cringe.
• As a descriptive noun (informal): Something that causes a cringing reaction.
  • That video is a total cringe. (That video is deeply embarrassing to watch.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cringeworthy (adj): Describing something likely to cause a cringing reaction.
  • The speech was full of cringeworthy jokes.
• Cringey (adj): An informal variant of "cringeworthy."
  • His dance moves were so cringey.

Synonyms

• Flinch: To make a quick, nervous movement as an instinctive reaction to fear or pain.
• Recoil: To suddenly spring or flinch back in fear, horror, or disgust.
• Shrink: To draw back, as in retreat or avoidance.
• Wince: To give a slight involuntary grimace or shrinking movement of the body out of pain or distress.

Related Phrasal Verbs / Constructions

• Cringe at: To react with a cringe because of something specific.
  • She cringed at the thought of giving a public speech.
• Cringe away from: To physically draw back from something.
  • The child cringed away from the stranger.

Related Idioms

• To be a cringe-fest (informal): An event or situation characterized by many cringeworthy moments.
  • The office party was a complete cringe-fest.

Verb

1. show submission or fear
2. draw back, as with fear or pain
   • she flinched when they showed the slaughtering of the calf