Synonyms of recoiled

recoiled

verb

past tense of recoil

as in flinched

to draw back in fear, pain, or disgust

the social worker tried not to recoil from the sight of the cockroach in the bathtub

Synonyms & Similar Words

• flinched
• winced
• cringed
• shuddered
• hesitated
• shrank
• trembled
• quailed
• blenched
• shook
• quivered
• paled
• blanched
• squinched
• retreated
• crouched
• quaked
• withdrew
• jerked
• twitched
• whitened
• faltered
• reeled
• receded
• wavered
• started
• retired

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• approached
• advanced
• confronted
• faced
• challenged
• neared
• defied
• bearded

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of recoiled

When councilman Steve Novick threatened to sue, the Blazers recoiled and became obstinate. — Jason Quick, New York Times, 21 July 2026

Markets recoiled for a moment, then kept climbing, the Nasdaq tripling before the decade was out. — Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 23 June 2026

And when the Walmart collaboration arrived in 2007 — a full collection at twenty dollars and under — the industry recoiled once again. — Jeetendr Sehdev, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026

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

When Paramount debuted a first look at the film in 2019, online commentators recoiled at the speedy hedgehog’s human teeth and odd facial features. — Angelique Jackson, Variety, 26 Mar. 2026

Users recoiled immediately, forcing OpenAI to backtrack and restore the old models. — Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2026

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

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