cringe

[ krinj ]
See synonyms for: cringecringedcringing on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object),cringed, cring·ing.
  1. to shrink back, bend, or crouch, especially in fear, pain, or servility; cower: 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.

  1. 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.

  1. 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.

Origin of cringe

1
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English crengen, crenchen (transitive); Old English crencean, crencgean (unattested), causative of cringan, crincan “to yield, fall (in battle)”

Other words from cringe

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use cringe in a sentence

  • He crawls and cringes and flatters and lies and swaggers and brags and tells of the influence he has in the ward he lives in.

  • The man who is catching up cringes instead of standing erect, he is suppliant instead of dominant.

    Dollars and Sense | Col. Wm. C. Hunter
  • Now, with many an obeisance, he cringes timidly towards the foot of the das steps; and when the great man says Come!

British Dictionary definitions for cringe

cringe

/ (krɪndʒ) /


verb(intr)
  1. to shrink or flinch, esp in fear or servility

  2. to behave in a servile or timid way

  1. informal

    • to wince in embarrassment or distaste

    • to experience a sudden feeling of embarrassment or distaste

noun
  1. the act of cringing

  2. the cultural cringe Australian subservience to overseas cultural standards

Origin of cringe

1
Old English cringan to yield in battle; related to Old Norse krangr weak, Middle High German krenken to weaken

Derived forms of cringe

  • cringer, noun
  • cringingly, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012