flinch

verb

ˈflinch 

flinched; flinching; flinches

intransitive verb

: to withdraw or shrink from or as if from pain : wince

He flinched when he was presented with the car repair bill.

also : to tense the muscles involuntarily in anticipation of discomfort

I cannot help flinching when I hear the dentist's drill.

flinch noun

flincher noun

Synonyms

• blench
• cringe
• quail
• recoil
• shrink
• squinch
• wince

Choose the Right Synonym for flinch

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 flinch in a Sentence

He flinched when I tapped him on the shoulder.

She met danger without flinching.

The bill was much higher than expected, but he paid it without flinching.

Recent Examples on the Web

But the face of the Rockies didn’t flinch Sunday afternoon. —Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post, 21 July 2024

Almost immediately after shots rang out at Donald Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, the former President flinched onstage, grabbed at his face, and dropped to the ground. —Benjamin Wallace-Wells, The New Yorker, 14 July 2024

Barely flinching, the singer picks it up and tosses it back into the crowd before continuing his performance. —Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 4 July 2024

Noah scared other vets, but Baillie never flinched when treating him, Buske said. —Mary Divine, Twin Cities, 27 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle French flenchir to bend, of Germanic origin; akin to Middle High German lenken to bend, Old High German hlanca flank — more at lank

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

flinch

verb

ˈflinch 

: to draw back from or as if from physical pain : wince

flinch noun

flincher noun