Synonyms of flinching

flinching

verb

present participle of flinch

as in wincing

to draw back in fear, pain, or disgust

there are some patients who flinch at the mere sight of a needle

Synonyms & Similar Words

• wincing
• recoiling
• cringing
• shuddering
• trembling
• hesitating
• shrinking
• shaking
• quailing
• quivering
• blenching
• quaking
• retreating
• squinching
• crouching
• blanching
• withdrawing
• twitching
• whitening
• jerking
• faltering
• paling
• wavering
• reeling
• receding
• retiring
• starting

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• approaching
• advancing
• facing
• nearing
• confronting
• challenging
• defying
• bearding

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of flinching

In my experience, automation becomes commercially viable not when failures disappear, but when the system is built to handle them without flinching. — Shivansh Inamdar, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026

Amy Adams’ Anna Bowden — who has a complicated history with Max as his former lawyer — peeks through the curtain to spy on him, flinching as Max insists on snapping his own broken finger into place. — Benjamin Vanhoose, PEOPLE, 6 July 2026

Cole agreed, but did do some flinching. — Tony Baranek, Chicago Tribune, 18 June 2026

Without flinching, the two plunged into the waves to rescue the woman. — William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 13 June 2026

Knorr and other team officials were in the room, but Stammen helped lead it without flinching. — Dennis Lin, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026

The Alpha Wave acquisition suggests the Gulf’s biggest dealmakers aren’t flinching at opportunities in the US or being slowed by the war in Iran. — Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 10 Mar. 2026

Freeny absorbed the impact like Marvin Hagler, hardly flinching and brushing it off. — Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 6 Mar. 2026

Many critics are now calling out CBS for flinching rather than forcefully standing up to politically motivated intimidation. — Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 18 Feb. 2026