cringe

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as in to flinch
to draw back or crouch down in fearful submission the puppy cringed when his master raised the rolled-up newspaper

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word cringe distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of cringe are cower, fawn, toady, and truckle. While all these words mean "to behave abjectly before a superior," cringe suggests a bowing or shrinking in fear or servility.

a cringing sycophant

When is cower a more appropriate choice than cringe?

The meanings of cower and cringe largely overlap; however, cower suggests a display of abject fear in the company of threatening or domineering people.

cowering before a bully

When could fawn be used to replace cringe?

Although the words fawn and cringe have much in common, fawn implies seeking favor by servile flattery or exaggerated attention.

waiters fawning over a celebrity

When might toady be a better fit than cringe?

In some situations, the words toady and cringe are roughly equivalent. However, toady suggests the attempt to ingratiate oneself by an abjectly menial or subservient attitude.

toadying to his boss

Where would truckle be a reasonable alternative to cringe?

The words truckle and cringe can be used in similar contexts, but truckle implies the subordination of oneself and one's desires or judgment to those of a superior.

truckling to a powerful lobbyist

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cringe It's not cringe to care about something and try! Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025 Pub purists, meanwhile, are cringing. Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2025 During a hospital stay, Roy’s enfeebled mother fixates on the caste and religious affiliations of the doctors treating her—the sort of thing that will be familiar to anyone who has cringed at a diminished elder’s unfiltered prejudices. Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2025 On the other side are GOP lawmakers cringing at the departure of so many CDC officials. Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 3 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cringe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cringe
Verb
  • In that moment, Dupree involuntarily punches him and the pair go quiet as Dooley cusses and bends over wincing in pain.
    Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Perhaps tearing originally grew out of a physiological reflex that restored moisture to the eyes and nasal passages after they had been dried out by the pressure of wincing or the hyperventilation of arousal.
    Big Think, Big Think, 23 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Ross passed the day's examination with flying colors, barely flinching at the rubber chicken.
    Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Oct. 2025
  • But none of the band members ever flinched over the divide that formed over their pre- and post-Vheissu sound.
    Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Some recoiled at the launch and others quit their positions.
    Nick Penzenstadler, USA Today, 25 Sep. 2025
  • Americans are recoiling from the Democratic Party, and even in blue states like Colorado, Democrats are feeling the burn.
    The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 16 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Anyone living in one of the dozens of surrounding villages, such as Nazareth, who was not rounded up must have cowered in fear behind closed doors or hidden in the various underground cisterns and hewn chambers beneath the ancient houses and courtyards of the Jewish villages.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2025
  • As a result, the poor Rottweiler could be seen cowering against the wall and looking incredibly nervous in the cat’s presence.
    Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Cringe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cringe. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on cringe

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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