The meaning of CRINGE is to recoil in distaste. How to use cringe in a sentence. Synonym Discussion of Cringe.

To cringe is also to pull back in fear from someone or something that seems powerful and dangerous:

CRINGE definition: to shrink back, bend, or crouch, especially in fear, pain, or servility; cower: They cringed and bowed before the king. See examples of cringe used in a sentence.

Definition of cringe verb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

cringe (krɪndʒ) vb (intr) 1. to shrink or flinch, esp in fear or servility 2. to behave in a servile or timid way

Dec 14, 2025 · cringe (countable and uncountable, plural cringes) (countable) A gesture or posture of cringing (recoiling or shrinking). He glanced with a cringe at the mess on his desk.

From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English cringe /krɪndʒ/ verb [intransitive] 1 to move away from someone or something because you are afraid A stray dog was cringing by the door.

If you cringe at something, you feel embarrassed or disgusted, and perhaps show this feeling in your expression or by making a slight movement. We all cringed when she started picking up the guitar.

CRINGE meaning: 1 : to feel disgust or embarrassment and often to show this feeling by a movement of your face or body; 2 : to make a sudden movement from fear of being hit or hurt

cringe (krinj), v., cringed, cring•ing, n. v.i. to shrink, bend, or crouch, esp. in fear or servility; cower. to fawn. n. servile or fawning deference.