Cringed: meaning, definitions and examples
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cringed
[ krɪndʒd ]
emotional response
Cringed is the past tense of cringe, which refers to a physical reaction usually characterized by shrinking back or flinching in response to something unpleasant or embarrassing. It often conveys a sense of discomfort or awkwardness, typically in social situations. When someone cringes, they may do so in reaction to something embarrassing that they or someone else has done, or due to something socially awkward. It is commonly used in modern language to describe a strong feeling of secondhand embarrassment.
Synonyms
flinch, recoil, shrink, tremble, wince.
Examples of usage
- She cringed at the thought of her old photos.
- I cringed when he told that awful joke.
- He cringed every time he remembered his mistake.
- Watching the bad audition made everyone in the room cringe.
Translations
Translations of the word "cringed" in other languages:
🇵🇹 envergonhado
🇮🇳 अजीब
🇩🇪 fremdschämend
🇮🇩 memalukan
🇺🇦 незручний
🇵🇱 krępujący
🇯🇵 気まずい
🇫🇷 gênant
🇪🇸 incómodo
🇹🇷 rahatsız edici
🇰🇷 어색한
🇸🇦 محرج
🇨🇿 trapný
🇸🇰 trapný
🇨🇳 尴尬的
🇸🇮 neroden
🇮🇸 óþægilegt
🇰🇿 қызықсыз
🇬🇪 უცნაური
🇦🇿 narahat
🇲🇽 incómodo
Etymology
The word 'cringe' originated from the Old English term 'cringan', which means 'to bend or to yield'. It is of Germanic origin, akin to the Old Norse word 'kringja', which means 'to bend'. The word evolved over the centuries, initially referring to physical movements that denote submission or fear. By the early 20th century, cringing began to take on a more figurative sense, especially in social contexts, where it describes the feeling of embarrassment or discomfort arising from witnessing awkward situations. The modern usage captures the essence of experiencing secondhand embarrassment, leading to its popular adoption in contemporary language, particularly among younger generations in the context of social interactions.