cringed; cringing
1
: to recoil in distaste
Americans cringed … at the use of a term now regarded as a slur—
William Safire
William Safire2
: 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
Charles S. Houston
cringer
noun
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
theringer.comExamples 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
Caroline Castrillon, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
Woman's Awkward Handshake Caught on Camera By Alyce Collins
Life and Trends Reporter
Newsweek Is A Trust Project Member
news article
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Internet users were left cringing in unison by a woman's awkward encounter with a fellow gym-goer that was caught on camera.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 18 Feb. 2025
Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 16 Feb. 2025
Parisa keeps the cringe train chugging along by subjecting Grant to a full-on PowerPoint presentation about their future together, including creepy AI pictures of her pregnant.
—Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 28 Jan. 2025
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
The bits involving actors — like a segment where Kelce met himself as a 14-year-old and as an older person — were more cringe than comedy.
—Dan Shanoff, The Athletic, 4 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cringe
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Verb
As a job seeker, understanding what makes recruiters and hiring managers cringe could mean the difference between a job offer and a generic rejection email.
—Caroline Castrillon, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
Woman's Awkward Handshake Caught on Camera By Alyce Collins
Life and Trends Reporter
Newsweek Is A Trust Project Member
news article
0
Internet users were left cringing in unison by a woman's awkward encounter with a fellow gym-goer that was caught on camera.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 18 Feb. 2025
Noun
Some scenes could veer into cringe comedy if directed by someone with less empathy for their characters, but Eimbcke keeps his story rooted in the idea that this entire family is just trying their best in a world that never bothers to offer them a helping hand.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 16 Feb. 2025
Parisa keeps the cringe train chugging along by subjecting Grant to a full-on PowerPoint presentation about their future together, including creepy AI pictures of her pregnant.
—Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 28 Jan. 2025
Adjective
Hong flirts with cringe comedy as Donghwa prattles on about trying to live only with what’s necessary and not rely on others, also rhapsodizing about his emotional response to an ancient ginkgo tree at the temple.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
The bits involving actors — like a segment where Kelce met himself as a 14-year-old and as an older person — were more cringe than comedy.
—Dan Shanoff, The Athletic, 4 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cringe
Articles Related to cringe
Cite this Entry
“Cringe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cringe. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.
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