The meaning of CRINGE is to recoil in distaste. How to use cringe in a sentence. Synonym Discussion of Cringe.

To cringe is also to pull back in fear from someone or something that seems powerful and dangerous:

CRINGE definition: to shrink back, bend, or crouch, especially in fear, pain, or servility; cower: They cringed and bowed before the king. See examples of cringe used in a sentence.

Feb 7, 2017 · Cringe: When someone acts/ or is so embarrassing or awkward , it makes you feel extemely ashamed and/or embarrassed.

When you cringe, your body language shows you don't like what you see and hear. You close your eyes and grimace. You may even jerk your body away from the offensive sight or sound, like the old …

Dec 14, 2025 · cringe (countable and uncountable, plural cringes) (countable) A gesture or posture of cringing (recoiling or shrinking). He glanced with a cringe at the mess on his desk.

If you cringe at something, you feel embarrassed or disgusted, and perhaps show this feeling in your expression or by making a slight movement. We all cringed when she started picking up the guitar.

cringe (krɪndʒ) vb (intr) 1. to shrink or flinch, esp in fear or servility 2. to behave in a servile or timid way

cringe, n. & adj. meanings, etymology, pronunciation and more in the Oxford English Dictionary

CRINGE meaning: 1 : to feel disgust or embarrassment and often to show this feeling by a movement of your face or body; 2 : to make a sudden movement from fear of being hit or hurt