English vocabulary · B2
Cringe
/krɪndʒ/ · v., n.
Cringe means to pull your face or body back because something makes you feel very bad or ashamed. You wish it would stop.
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Example sentences
- I cringed when he sang the wrong name.
- Her old video made everyone cringe.
Word origin and roots
from Old English
- cringan — fall (from Old English)
Synonyms and nuances
- WINCE — to make a face from pain (React To Pain)
- RECOIL — to move back in fear (Move Back Fast)
- SHRINK — to pull your body away (Draw Your Body In)
Lesson notes
Cringe means to pull your face or body back because something makes you feel very bad or ashamed. You wish it would stop.
Related: wince, recoil, shrink. Use cringe when shame or discomfort makes you pull back.
I cringed when he sang the wrong name. Her old video made everyone cringe.
From Old English. Cringan means fall. The idea changed from falling down to pulling back, and became cringe.