as in cringes
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 flinches
Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Aug. 2025
Months later, Anderson, 50, still avoids crowds, doesn’t go out after dark and flinches when the doorbell rings.
—USA Today, 7 Aug. 2025
Noun
Bingo momentarily flinches, and Atlas rolls onto his back in response.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Aug. 2025
Months later, Anderson, 50, still avoids crowds, doesn’t go out after dark and flinches when the doorbell rings.
—USA Today, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flinches
Verb
-
Payton cringes at the mention of a sophomore slump, that defenses will figure out Nix.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The aim was to encode the various nuanced ways human faces transmit states of mind, and then to visualize them; smiles and frowns are the barest beginning.—
Dan Rockmore,
New Yorker,
9 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
While Shrek pouts about missing his solo ogre days, the dastardly Rumpelstiltskin takes advantage, offering him a contract to relive that romanticized time in his life — for a day.—
Skyler Trepel September 1,
EW.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Mix Cabinet Types Break up the monotony of just uppers and lowers—and achieve a more elevated, designer look—by mixing cabinet types.—
Quincy Bulin,
Southern Living,
1 Sep. 2025
-
Claiming early at 62 lowers that maximum to $2,831, while waiting until age 70 increases it to $5,108.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flinches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flinches. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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