verb / noun / adjective

cringe

KRINJ/krɪndʒ/

To recoil from discomfort or embarrassment.

The young adult cringes as the spilled drink spreads across the table.

A young adult cringes with shoulders raised, chin tucked and embarrassed grimace while watching their own spilled drink spread across a dining table during a friendly gathering, other adults gently surprised.

Etymology

cringeOld Englishyield, give way, become bent

The underlying image is of bending or giving way. Cringe came to mean bending or crouching in fear or servility, connecting that bodily movement with shrinking back from embarrassment or discomfort.

In context

The Humanist Report36:19

i truly hope that they're going to look back at this moment and cringe because i you know when when i was young i mean i wasn't a nazi but i had a lot of bad takes

Dystopian Times | Episode 003 (7.14.21)

More examples

We cringe at the sound of nails scraping glass.
She gives a little cringe when she hears her recorded voice.
That forced joke is so cringe.

Forms

cringe · cringes · cringed · cringing

cringeworthy adjective — Causing embarrassment because of obvious awkwardness.

Similar words

wince: Emphasizes a brief facial reaction to pain or embarrassment.
flinch: Usually describes a sudden movement from fear or anticipated pain.
recoil: Suggests a stronger drawing back from shock, fear, or disgust.