cringey
Americanadjective
-
causing a reaction or feeling of embarrassment, awkwardness, or discomfort; cringeworthy.
The movie brought back my cringey middle school memories.
-
seeking favor by means of servile behavior or flattery.
His talk show is mostly cringey interviews with celebrities.
Etymology
Origin of cringey
First recorded in 1965–70; cringe ( def. ) + -y 1 ( def. )
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.
It’s so overly consultant-speak cringey that I can clearly picture a corporate off-site meeting about to go into breakout sessions.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026
You will immediately notice that his jokes often get nothing more than a cringey, forced laugh from his audience.
From Salon • Aug. 9, 2025
By January, Musk had transitioned to lieutenant, making up DOGE, complete with cringey swag, like a lonely preteen dreaming up a secret club in his tree house.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 1, 2025
Pitchfork said it was "excruciatingly corny" while Rolling Stone described it as "cringey... clunky and dated" in a two-and-a-half star review.
From BBC • Jun. 17, 2025
The rest of the movie, you share snacks with Lucy, rolling your eyes together at a cringey line, whispering about sea turtles and climate change.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
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.
