as in winced
to draw back in fear, pain, or disgust
there are some patients who flinch at the mere sight of a needle
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Recent Examples of flinched
But as his show became a pop culture punchline and an enduring ratings force, Povich says the person closest to him never flinched.
—
Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
Adi flinched but passed it to him.
—Jonathan Miles, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
The noise was so strange that only some of the rally-goers flinched.
—E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Yet the Timberwolves’ coach never flinched in regards to his backing of both players.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 21 Jan. 2026
Sean McDermott became available after he was fired as Buffalo Bills’ coach on Monday, and Sullivan never flinched.
—Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 20 Jan. 2026
Nobody flinched, as Trautman recalled, because of the man in the middle.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 17 Jan. 2026
His comment shouldn’t be interpreted as a postgame shot at an overwhelmed Red Raiders offense and, everything considered, his vaunted defense’s performance hardly resembled a unit that flinched at the challenges.
—Shawn McFarland, Dallas Morning News, 1 Jan. 2026
Sharen Gibson, 72, never flinched.
—Barbara Bry, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Oct. 2025
Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
Adi flinched but passed it to him.
—Jonathan Miles, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
The noise was so strange that only some of the rally-goers flinched.
—E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Yet the Timberwolves’ coach never flinched in regards to his backing of both players.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 21 Jan. 2026
Sean McDermott became available after he was fired as Buffalo Bills’ coach on Monday, and Sullivan never flinched.
—Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 20 Jan. 2026
Nobody flinched, as Trautman recalled, because of the man in the middle.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 17 Jan. 2026
His comment shouldn’t be interpreted as a postgame shot at an overwhelmed Red Raiders offense and, everything considered, his vaunted defense’s performance hardly resembled a unit that flinched at the challenges.
—Shawn McFarland, Dallas Morning News, 1 Jan. 2026
Sharen Gibson, 72, never flinched.
—Barbara Bry, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flinched
Verb
-
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
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The hard-drinking, hyper-sensitive Fitzgerald himself would have winced at any of the five adaptations of The Great Gatsby.—
Peter Bart,
Deadline,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Brendan Mcdermid | Reuters Software stocks on Thursday slid deeper into an ongoing intense sell-off this year as investors recoiled from the sector on growing fears that artificial intelligence could upend many firms' business models.—
Yun Li,
CNBC,
29 Jan. 2026
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The citizenry has broadly recoiled; her killing, in addition to being a human tragedy, has been a public relations disaster for the administration.—
Michelle Goldberg,
Mercury News,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Host Jimmy Fallon visibly cringed in response.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Jan. 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
Cite this Entry
“Flinched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flinched. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
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