cringeworthy

adjective cringe·wor·thy \ ˈkrinj-ˌwər-t͟hē \

Definition of cringeworthy

:so embarrassing, awkward, or upsetting as to cause one to cringe

a cringeworthy performance

Recent Examples of cringeworthy from the Web

Despite several cringeworthy moments, Deere John remained unfazed.

— author: rick sinnott, Alaska Dispatch News, "Anchorage’s own Noah: A boat builder’s 30-year obsession comes together at last," 26 Aug. 2017
In Miami, Pence was eager to leave Trump’s cringeworthy remark behind.

— patricia mazzei, miamiherald, "Pence hints at economic sanctions against Venezuela: ‘Our resolve is unwavering’," 23 Aug. 2017
What began as Stewart defending Trump’s unhinged press conference statements turned into an even more cringeworthy two-minute exchange.

— tess kornfeld, Glamour, "This CNN Anchor Perfectly Shut Down a Republican Senate Candidate Who Kept Interrupting Her," 19 Aug. 2017
And rightly so: no other show featured more hilariously cringeworthy moments when families hated the results of their makeovers.

— megan friedman, Country Living, "Everything You Need to Know About TLC Bringing Back "Trading Spaces"," 19 July 2017
YouTuber Jeely marked the anniversary of the viral trend by applying 100 layers of bubble mask— with results that are equally cringeworthy and hilarious.

— elizabeth logan, Allure, "YouTuber Jeely Does the 100 Layers Challenge With a Bubble Mask," 5 July 2017
A New York actor has drawn the ire of Internet users after giving his blind date a cringeworthy review — but the 24-year-old insists he was misquoted.

— char adams, PEOPLE.com, "New York Actor Says He Was ‘Misquoted’ After Sparking Outrage for Giving Mean Blind Date Review," 29 June 2017
Steve Carell has been a popular comedian for a while; his role as cringeworthy boss Michael Scott in The Office is cemented in television history.

— raisa bruner, Time, "Steve Carell Reflects on His New Viral Stud Status on Jimmy Fallon," 28 June 2017
Yohana Desta here today, bringing you the latest on Ron Howard’s Star Wars debut, some Emmys chatter, and a cringeworthy moment from Johnny Depp.

— yohana desta, VanityFair.com, "Ron Howard, Hollywood Zen Master," 23 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cringeworthy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.