cringe
noun
1. A posture or gesture of shrinking or recoiling.
- He glanced with a cringe at the mess on his desk.
2. (dialect) A crick.
verb
1. draw back, as with fear or pain
Similar word(s): flinch, funk, quail, recoil, shrink, squinch, wince
Definition categories: motion, move
2. show submission or fear
Similar word(s): cower, crawl, creep, fawn, grovel
Definition categories: motion, bend, flex
Sentences with cringe as a verb:
- He cringed as the bird collided with the window.