cringe

[ krinj ]

verb (used without object)

, cringed, cring·ing.

1. to shrink back, bend, or crouch, especially in fear, pain, or servility; cower: They cringed and bowed before the king.

   She cringed in a corner and started praying.

   They cringed and bowed before the king.

2. to feel very embarrassed or awkward; react with discomfort:

   Some of us cringed at the speaker’s tactless comments.

3. to seek favor by acting in a servile way; fawn:

   He has never cringed to anyone—in fact, he can sometimes be a bully.

noun

1. an act or instance of shrinking back, bending, or crouching:

   The gunshots elicited a cringe of terror.

2. an instance of being very embarrassed, awkward, or uncomfortable:

   Some of his outfits are bizarre enough to induce a cringe or two.

3. servile or fawning deference.

adjective

1. Slang. causing embarrassment or resulting in awkward discomfort; cringeworthy; cringey:

   Her attempt to rap at the talent show was so very cringe.

cringe

/ krɪndʒ /

verb

1. to shrink or flinch, esp in fear or servility
2. to behave in a servile or timid way
3. informal.
   1. to wince in embarrassment or distaste
   2. to experience a sudden feeling of embarrassment or distaste

noun

1. the act of cringing
2. the cultural cringe
   subservience to overseas cultural standards

Derived Forms

• ˈcringer, noun
• ˈcringingly, adverb

Other Words From

• cring·er noun
• cring·ing·ly adverb
• cring·ing·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of cringe¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English crengen, crenchen (transitive); Old English crencean, crencgean (unattested), causative of cringan, crincan “to yield, fall (in battle)”

Word History and Origins

Origin of cringe¹

Old English cringan to yield in battle; related to Old Norse krangr weak, Middle High German krenken to weaken

Example Sentences

When Cohn later suggests, “Trump reminds me more of myself,” it is hard not to cringe.

From Salon

You might cringe at the word hustle, but that doesn't mean you have to go down a rabbit hole of vapid brofluencers.

From Salon

He also characterized the antebellum North as “the mere cringing vassal of the South” and a section of the country that contained “lords” and “nobles” of its own that comprised an “aristocracy of the skin.”

From Salon

Martin noted that polls, which he doesn’t trust, are inconclusive, and he said that while he still cringes at times when Trump speaks, “I don’t think any of his ramblings will cost him the election.”

From Los Angeles Times

Her video blog details a new budget that would make the economists cringe.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• cower
• kneel
• quiver
• tremble
• wince