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Added 9 October 2026

cringe

/ˈkɹɪnd͡ʒ/ verb

verb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about cringe at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

To cower, flinch, recoil, shrink, or tense, as in disgust, embarrassment, or fear.
He cringed as the bird collided with the window.
To experience an inward feeling of disgust, embarrassment, or fear; to feel very embarrassed.
To bow or crouch in servility.

noun

A gesture or posture of cringing (recoiling or shrinking).
He glanced with a cringe at the mess on his desk.
An act or disposition of servile obeisance.
A crick (“painful muscular cramp or spasm of some part of the body”).

adjective

Synonym of cringeworthy or uncool, inducing awkwardness or secondhand embarrassment.
Brands trying to appeal to young people with memes is the most cringe thing ever.

interjection

Stated in response to something cringeworthy.

Origin

The verb is derived from Middle English crengen (“to bend in a haughty manner; to condescend”) [and other forms], from Old English *crenġan, *crenċġan, *crenċan (“to cause to fall or turn”) from Proto-Germanic *krangijaną (“to cause to fall; to cause to turn”), causative of Proto-Germanic *kringaną, *krinkaną (“to fall; to turn; to yield”) (> Old English crin(c)gan (“to yield; to cringe; to fall; to die, perish”)), from Proto-Indo-European *grenǵʰ- (“to turn”)). The causative suffix is from *-janą (suffix forming causatives with the sense ‘to cause to do (the action of the verb)’ from strong verbs).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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