Cringing: meaning, definitions and examples
๐ณ
cringing
[ หkrษชn.dสษชล ]
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.
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:
๐ต๐น vergonhoso
๐ฎ๐ณ เค เคธเคนเค
๐ฉ๐ช peinlich
๐ฎ๐ฉ memalukan
๐บ๐ฆ ะฝะตะทัััะฝะธะน
๐ต๐ฑ ลผenujฤ cy
๐ฏ๐ต ๆฐใพใใ
๐ซ๐ท gรชnant
๐ช๐ธ incรณmodo
๐น๐ท rahatsฤฑz edici
๐ฐ๐ท ์ด์ํ
๐ธ๐ฆ ู ุญุฑุฌ
๐จ๐ฟ trapnรฝ
๐ธ๐ฐ trรกpny
๐จ๐ณ ๅฐดๅฐฌ็
๐ธ๐ฎ nelagoden
๐ฎ๐ธ รณรพรฆgilegt
๐ฐ๐ฟ าฑัะปะฐััะฝ
๐ฌ๐ช แแแแแแแแ แแแแแ
๐ฆ๐ฟ utancverici
๐ฒ๐ฝ incรณmodo
Etymology
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.
- ...
- 27345 rhino
- 27346 intolerably
- 27347 descried
- 27348 cringing
- 27349 impregnating
- 27350 stashed
- 27351 flagrantly
- ...