wince

¹ American  

[wins] / wɪns /

verb (used without object)

winced, wincing

1. to draw back or tense the body, as from pain or from a blow; start; flinch.

   Synonyms:

   quail, blench

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noun

1. a wincing or shrinking movement; a slight start.

wince ² American  

[wins] / wɪns /

noun

1. winch.

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wince ¹ British  

/ wɪns /

verb

1. (intr) to start slightly, as with sudden pain; flinch

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noun

1. the act of wincing

wince ² British  

/ wɪns /

noun

1. a roller for transferring pieces of cloth between dyeing vats

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Related Words

Wince, recoil, shrink, quail all mean to draw back from what is dangerous, fearsome, difficult, threatening, or unpleasant. Wince suggests an involuntary contraction of the facial features triggered by pain, embarrassment, or a sense of revulsion: to wince as a needle pierces the skin; to wince at coarse language. Recoil denotes a physical movement away from something disgusting or shocking or a similar psychological shutting out or avoidance: to recoil from contact with a slimy surface; to recoil at the squalor and misery of the slum. Shrink may imply a fastidious or scrupulous avoidance of the distasteful or it may suggest cowardly withdrawal from what is feared: to shrink from confessing a crime; to shrink from going into battle. Quail suggests a loss of heart or courage in the face of danger or difficulty; it sometimes suggests trembling or other manifestations of physical disturbance: to quail before an angry mob.

Other Word Forms

• wincer noun
• wincingly adverb
• wincingness noun

Etymology

Origin of wince

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English winsen, variant of winchen, wenchen “to kick,” from unrecorded Anglo-French wenc(h)ier, Old French guenc(h)ier, from Germanic; wench, winch ¹

Example Sentences

Almost instantly, you might wince, make a face, or even pull your own hand away.

From Science Daily • Dec. 23, 2025

So while people may wince at the price, they’re buying it anyway–and reserving the right to rant.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 3, 2025

But what makes me wince is the long payoff periods — 35 years at $500 million annually for Proposition 2 and 40 years at $400 million annually for Proposition 4.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 21, 2024

I would wince when sometimes he would show impatience and irritation towards his staff.

From BBC • Oct. 14, 2024

I wince, then shake my head and stop talking, letting my hands wheel in circles as if they can convey my meaning.

From "Warcross" by Marie Lu

Related Words

• back off
• blanch
• cower
• cringe
• flinch
• grimace
• recoil