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

• wince
• recoil
• cringe

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

Given his winning streak, nobody would’ve flinched if Lamar framed his portion of the event as a celebration. —Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 7 June 2025

But, when Wayne and Bryant’s names were called, neither flinched under the bright lights. —Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 6 June 2025

Chronic impacts of emotional abuse can include anxiety, depression, insomnia, binge drinking or substance abuse and muscle tension from flinching or tensing up, Patel says. —Hannah Yasharoff, USA Today, 16 May 2025

Udoka would’ve been another strong fit, but Houston never flinched. —Kristian Winfield, Hartford Courant, 11 June 2025

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

Rhymes for flinch

• cinch
• finch
• inch
• lynch
• pinch
• synch
• winch
• bullfinch
• goldfinch

Kids Definition

flinch

verb

ˈflinch 

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

flinch noun

flincher noun