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.

The term cringe underwent semantic change from its original usage describing an involuntary physical response to embarrassment. The term gained popularity in online forums during the …

Feb 20, 2024 · Before Gen Z got their youthful hands on it, the word cringe meant “to recoil in distaste,” per Merriam-Webster. You’d probably use the word IRL as a verb to describe your …

Oct 31, 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.

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