wince

verb

ˈwin(t)s 

winced; wincing

intransitive verb

: to shrink back involuntarily (as from pain) : flinch

wince noun

Synonyms

• flinch
• recoil
• cringe

Choose the Right Synonym for wince

recoil, shrink, flinch, wince, blench, quail mean to draw back in fear or distaste.

recoil implies a start or movement away through shock, fear, or disgust.

recoiled at the suggestion of stealing

shrink suggests an instinctive recoil through sensitiveness, scrupulousness, or cowardice.

shrank from the unpleasant truth

flinch implies a failure to endure pain or face something dangerous or frightening with resolution.

faced her accusers without flinching

wince suggests a slight involuntary physical reaction (such as a start or recoiling).

winced in pain

blench implies fainthearted flinching.

stood their ground without blenching

quail suggests shrinking and cowering in fear.

quailed before the apparition

Examples of wince in a Sentence

winced at the movie's graphic depiction of combat injuries

Recent Examples on the Web

But lawmakers on both sides are wincing at the thought of a full-year funding patch, particularly as the government operates under its third continuous stopgap. —Aris Folley, The Hill, 5 Aug. 2025

Even Wernher von Braun’s fictional doppelgänger, Dr. Strangelove, might have winced at such breezy talk of thermonuclear explosions. —Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 28 July 2025

Judge winced during a game Tuesday in Toronto after catching Alejandro Kirk’s seventh-inning fly in the right-field corner and throwing to second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. as Dante Bichette tagged up and went from second to third. —Ronald Blum, Chicago Tribune, 26 July 2025

As the prosecutor described the fatal injuries her daughter faced, Scarbrough bowed her head and winced. —David Clarey, jsonline.com, 3 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English wynsen to kick out, start, from Anglo-French *wincer, *guincer to shift direction, dodge, by-form of guenchir, probably of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German wenken, wankōn to totter — more at wench

First Known Use

circa 1748, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for wince

• mince
• prince
• quince
• rinse
• since
• convince
• evince

Kids Definition

wince

verb

ˈwin(t)s 

winced; wincing

: to shrink back (as from pain) : flinch

the cut on my leg caused me to wince

the crowd winced when the skater fell on the ice

wince noun