blench

1 of 2

verb (1)

ˈblench 

blenched; blenching; blenches

intransitive verb

: to draw back or turn aside from lack of courage : flinch

blench

2 of 2

verb (2)

blenched; blenching; blenches

: bleach, whiten

Did you know?

If a stranger approaches you in a dark alley, it might cause you to blench. Do you flinch or turn white? Actually, you could do both, and both would be considered blenching because there are two separate verbs spelled "blench" in English. The blench that means "to flinch" derives from blencan, an Old English word meaning "to deceive." The blench meaning "to turn white" is an alteration of blanch, from the French adjective blanc ("white"). Clues to which meaning is intended can often be found in context. The "flinch" use, for example, is strictly intransitive and often followed by from or at ("blenched from the sight of blood"; "didn’t blench at the sound of thunder"). The "whiten" use, meanwhile, can be intransitive ("his skin blenched with terror") or transitive ("the cold blenched her lips").

Synonyms

Verb (1)

• cringe
• flinch
• quail
• recoil
• shrink
• squinch
• wince

Verb (2)

• blanch
• bleach
• decolorize
• dull
• fade
• pale
• snow
• wash out
• whiten

Choose the Right Synonym for blench

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 blench in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

And for those who blench and tremble at the thought of audience participation, take a breath. —Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2022

Voters bored by the whole subject may blench at the prospect. —The Economist, 27 Mar. 2018

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English blenchen "to move suddenly or sharply, flinch, change direction, evade, mislead" (also "to shine, gleam"), going back to Old English blencan "to deceive, cheat" (attested once), probably going back to Germanic *blankjan- (whence also Old Icelandic blekkja "to impose upon"), causative derivative from *blanka- "bright" — more at blank entry 1

Note: See note at blink entry 1.

Verb (2)

alteration of blanch

First Known Use

Verb (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1797, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

blench

1 of 2 verb

ˈblench 

: to shrink back out of fear : flinch

blench

2 of 2 verb

: to make or grow pale : blanch