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Cringing: meaning, definitions and examples

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cringing

 

[ หˆkrษชn.dส’ษชล‹ ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

emotional response

Cringing refers to the involuntary reaction of recoiling or shrinking back in response to something painful, awkward, or embarrassing. It often describes a strong feeling of discomfort or embarrassment, especially related to social situations.

Synonyms

flinch, recoil, shrink, wince

Examples of usage

  • She cringed at the awkward silence.
  • I can't help but cringe when I recall that embarrassing moment.
  • He cringed when his friend made an inappropriate joke.
Context #2 | Verb

social discomfort

In a social context, cringing describes the feeling of overwhelming secondhand embarrassment or discomfort caused by someone else's actions or words. It's often associated with situations where one feels an urge to distance oneself from the awkwardness.

Synonyms

cower, flinch, shudder, squirm

Examples of usage

  • Watching that reality show makes me cringe.
  • I cringed when I saw him trying to dance.
  • Please stop, you're making everyone cringe!

Translations

Translations of the word "cringing" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น vergonhoso

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เค…เคธเคนเคœ

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช peinlich

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ memalukan

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะฝะตะทั€ัƒั‡ะฝะธะน

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ ลผenujฤ…cy

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ๆฐ—ใพใšใ„

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท gรชnant

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ incรณmodo

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท rahatsฤฑz edici

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ์–ด์ƒ‰ํ•œ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ู…ุญุฑุฌ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ trapnรฝ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ trรกpny

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ๅฐดๅฐฌ็š„

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ nelagoden

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ รณรพรฆgilegt

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ าฑัะปะฐั‚ั‹ะฝ

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒ›แƒแƒ›แƒแƒ‘แƒ”แƒ–แƒ แƒ”แƒ‘แƒ”แƒšแƒ˜

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ utancverici

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ incรณmodo

Word origin

The word 'cringe' is believed to have originated in the early 16th century, derived from the Old English word 'cringan', which means 'to fall or yield'. This term is related to the Proto-Germanic word '*kringwan', which signifies bending or being bent. Over time, 'cringe' has evolved from its physical meanings relating to bending or recoiling to encompass more emotional or psychological reactions. Today, it is commonly used in modern vernacular to express feelings of embarrassment or discomfort, particularly in social contexts. The addition of the suffix '-ing' forms 'cringing', indicating the ongoing action or process, and it has been widely adopted in discussions around social anxieties and awkward moments.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #27,348, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.