1
as in flinched
to draw back in fear, pain, or disgust
we quailed when the waiter unexpectedly presented us with a hindquarter of frog's legs
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quailed
Verb
-
Smalley finally flinched with a devastating double bogey.—
Kevin Dotson,
CNN Money,
17 May 2026 -
Meta Platforms is splashing some serious cash on AI infrastructure, and investors have flinched.—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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For a decade, viewers have cringed at Amanda Batula and Kyle Cooke’s rocky relationship, the dénouement of which is currently playing out on season ten of Summer House.—
Rebecca Jennings,
Vulture,
1 Apr. 2026
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And the mother of Carter, a 5-year-old boy, cringed in fear when Carter (who was celebrating his birthday) was approached at a neighborhood bike park by a group of much older boys.—
Chris John Amorosino,
Hartford Courant,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The young Forster recoiled from the school’s culture of authoritarianism and militaristic chauvinism, which may have found expression in the students’ often appalling attitudes toward their own mothers.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
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Investors recoiled out of fears of an endless quagmire.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Vanderbilt was in a ton of pain, and even the Thunder bench winced at Vanderbilt’s hand.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
6 May 2026
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Internally, some employees winced as the prices of some chips surpassed $7.—
Wire TBD,
Dallas Morning News,
8 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Quailed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quailed. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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