cringe

1 of 3

verb

ˈkrinj 

cringed; cringing

intransitive verb

1

: to recoil in distaste

Americans cringed … at the use of a term now regarded as a slur

—William Safire

2

: to shrink in fear or servility

The terrified animal cringed in the corner.

3

: to behave in an excessively humble or servile way

beggars cringing to tourists for money

4

: to draw in or contract one's muscles involuntarily (as from cold or pain)

… we cringe under the blasting wind …

—Charles S. Houston

cringer noun

cringe

2 of 3

noun

: a cringing act

specifically : a servile bow

cringe

3 of 3

adjective

slang

: so embarrassing, awkward, etc. as to cause one to cringe : cringeworthy

a cringe moment

cringe comedy [=comedy involving jokes that make people uncomfortable]

It's hard to find a movie from the early 2000s that isn't a little cringe.

—theringer.com

Synonyms

Verb

• blench
• flinch
• quail
• recoil
• shrink
• squinch
• wince

Choose the Right Synonym for cringe

fawn, toady, truckle, cringe, cower mean to behave abjectly before a superior.

fawn implies seeking favor by servile flattery or exaggerated attention.

waiters fawning over a celebrity

toady suggests the attempt to ingratiate oneself by an abjectly menial or subservient attitude.

toadying to his boss

truckle implies the subordination of oneself and one's desires or judgment to those of a superior.

truckling to a powerful lobbyist

cringe suggests a bowing or shrinking in fear or servility.

a cringing sycophant

cower suggests a display of abject fear in the company of threatening or domineering people.

cowering before a bully

Examples of cringe in a Sentence

Verb

Many English teachers cringe when their students use the word “ain't.”

I always cringe when I hear that song.

Just the thought of eating broccoli makes me cringe.

The dog cringed at the noise.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

As years passed, many critics cringed at Stella’s giant constructions that anchored and ornamented the corporate lobbies that sprouted during Manhattan’s late-1980s real estate boom. —Sarah K. Rich, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2024

The scene where Acuña calls Drake’s mom to tell her that her son is (temporarily) out of the band, while a sheepish Drake stands nearby him, is sufficiently intense to make a viewer cringe with sympathetic embarrassment. —Joe Leydon, Variety, 30 Aug. 2024

Noun

Demi Lovato and Alyson Stoner are reminiscing about the experience of shooting Camp Rock — and the cringe baggage that came with it. —Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 18 Sep. 2024

And some of those cringe storylines are even more alarming today after returning to them as a parent. —Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 3 Sep. 2024

Adjective

Drawing inspiration from cringe comedy classics and crafted largely through improvisation, THE PREMIERE is a keen satire about the Hamptons with a biting love letter to the community at its core. —Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 12 Sep. 2024

Most of the humor is cringe comedy, like explaining to his father the difference between daddies, bears and otters. —Jason Zinoman, New York Times, 13 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English crengen; akin to Old English cringan to yield, Middle High German krank weak

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Noun

1592, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1983, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing cringe

• cringe comedy
• cringe-y

Kids Definition

cringe

verb

ˈkrinj

cringed; cringing

ˈkrin-jiŋ

1

: to shrink in fear or distaste : cower

cringed at the sight of blood

2

: to behave in a too humble or cowardly way

cringer noun