1
as in winced
to draw back in fear, pain, or disgust
gruesome crime scene photos that made several jurors cringe
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Recent Examples of cringed
As Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe joined The View Thursday for an interview about his role in the new NBC comedy The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins, the superstar cringed when the show cued up a clip of one of his early auditions to play the boy wizard.
—
Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Mar. 2026
Auriemma cringed at the suggestion this team was better than last year’s.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 2 Mar. 2026
San Jose Jazz Executive Director Brendan Rawson worked on those early indexes as a researcher and cringed at seeing some of his early graphics work from the ’90s shown on the big screen.
—Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2026
You get cringed out when things are earnest or something, but then the music is a way to channel it.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 25 Nov. 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
Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Mar. 2026
Auriemma cringed at the suggestion this team was better than last year’s.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 2 Mar. 2026
San Jose Jazz Executive Director Brendan Rawson worked on those early indexes as a researcher and cringed at seeing some of his early graphics work from the ’90s shown on the big screen.
—Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2026
You get cringed out when things are earnest or something, but then the music is a way to channel it.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 25 Nov. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cringed
Verb
-
Forrest pushed it and winced as tear gas sprayed.—
James Verini,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
-
The issue became apparent at 4-4 in the third set, when Alcaraz winced after stretching for a volley and a match that had appeared a foregone conclusion spun on its axis.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Even as Michigan State came roaring back in the second half, cutting the lead to just two in the final minute, UCLA never flinched.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Mar. 2026
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After hearing their parents lay it out, none of the Smith kids — Lilly, Eli, Maggie, Brice, Wilson or Jesse — flinched at the idea of helping their baby sister.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In a flash, the Avs veteran flew right into a sprawling, helpless Ingram, who recoiled at the contact.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
11 Mar. 2026
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After decades of being kissed up to by massive government support, our fossil fuel industries recoiled against President Joe Biden’s support to grow our clean energy sector.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Tourists and residents cowered in fear.—
Suzanne Gamboa,
NBC news,
23 Feb. 2026
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Cringed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cringed. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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