1
2
as in to distort
to twist (something) out of a natural or normal shape or condition
squinched up her eyes in disgust
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to flinch
to draw back in fear, pain, or disgust
didn't squinch a bit when the intruder pulled a knife on him
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of squinch
Judith H. Dobrzynski, WSJ, 4 May 2018
Here, she's added parted lips, slightly sucked-in cheeks, and a subtle chin tilt on top of her master squinch.
—Chelsea Peng, Marie Claire, 1 Oct. 2015
Mary Carole McCauley, baltimoresun.com, 18 Jan. 2022
To deepen the illusion that life is just one big fashion spread, we've been trained to 1) smize, 2) duck face, 3) squinch, and now, 4) fish gape.
—Chelsea Peng, Marie Claire, 1 Oct. 2015
Verb
Brick squinches, here decorated with windows and patterns mimicking those below, are not unique to the Samanid mausoleum.
—Judith H. Dobrzynski, WSJ, 4 May 2018
Here, she's added parted lips, slightly sucked-in cheeks, and a subtle chin tilt on top of her master squinch.
—Chelsea Peng, Marie Claire, 1 Oct. 2015
Noun
Some boys and girls look directly at the camera, while others squinch up their faces.
—Mary Carole McCauley, baltimoresun.com, 18 Jan. 2022
To deepen the illusion that life is just one big fashion spread, we've been trained to 1) smize, 2) duck face, 3) squinch, and now, 4) fish gape.
—Chelsea Peng, Marie Claire, 1 Oct. 2015
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squinch
Verb
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After a brief struggle for traction, the robot regained control by crouching slightly, mimicking a human posture to exert force.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Oct. 2025
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Rather than playing her violin on her shoulder, the violinist crouched on a rug with Belaji, facing the instrument toward the floor.—
Sheila Regan,
Twin Cities,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Scans revealed the magnets had clustered into four chains in the lower-right side of his abdomen, pulling together different sections of his bowel with their magnetic force, the report said, noting some imagery was distorted by the magnets.—
Hanna Park,
CNN Money,
27 Oct. 2025
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This dynamic suppresses wages and distorts labor competition.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Snakes must move incredibly quickly to sink their fangs into prey before the victim flinches.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
23 Oct. 2025
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Other reptile species in the same room didn’t flinch.—
Clarissa Brincat,
Scientific American,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Thomas turned around and squeezed DeChambeau’s leg with anxiety, his face in a nervous grimace.—
Brody Miller,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
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Per the season's sneak peek, this year's voyage pairs steamy trysts among the crew with some grimace-worthy incidents, from jellyfish sightings and jet ski accidents (and what looks to be a lone charter guest floating out to sea on a raft).—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In the weeks that followed, Farber and his teammates huddled, brainstorming ways to support Ben.—
Nick Stern,
Rolling Stone,
30 Oct. 2025
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The spruces huddled defensively, as if expecting hard times, and the birch and aspen waved white, ineffectual arms at the snapping November wind.—
Joel M. Vance,
Outdoor Life,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Dry hair doesn’t curl as easily as damp hair, while hair that’s soaking wet requires too much time to dry in the rollers.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
29 Oct. 2025
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Patrick Brice and Mark Duplass wrote, directed and starred in this blood-curling 2014 film that follows a videographer who takes on a job for an eccentric client.—
Emy LaCroix,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Why Paying More Miles Was Worth It Points pros might wince at using KrisFlyer for all segments when Star Alliance partner programs like Air Canada Aeroplan or United MileagePlus can price lower.—
Chris Dong,
Travel + Leisure,
17 Oct. 2025
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Lina winces at the sound of Jaya munching on an apple, made worse by the static on the line.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The story of Western civilization is for the most part a collection of tales told by, for, and about the ruling families whose smile was fortune and whose frown was death.—
Henry Freedland,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
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But Thursday, as Latu relived the play in the locker room, his frustration manifested itself into a frown.—
James Boyd,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Squinch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squinch. Accessed 1 Nov. 2025.
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