1. Draw back, as with fear or pain
   "she cringed when they showed the slaughtering of the calf";
   - flinch, squinch [N. Amer], funk, shrink, wince, recoil, quail, blench
    
2. Show submission or fear
   "The dog cringed under the table during the thunderstorm";
   - crawl, cower, grovel
    
3. Experience a feeling of embarrassment or disgust
   "I cringe whenever I watch that awkward scene"

1. A posture or gesture of shrinking or recoiling
   "She watched the horror movie with a constant cringe"
    
2. Some event or object that causes embarrassment and shame
   "His attempt at dancing was pure cringe"

1. Embarrassing such that it would cause cringing
   "His cringe attempt at dancing made everyone look away";
   - cringey [informal], cringy, cringeworthy

Derived forms: cringed, cringes, cringing

See also: embarrassing, mortifying, unpleasant

Type of: bend, disgrace, flex, gesture, ignominy, move, shame

Encyclopedia: Cringe