twinge

noun
\ ˈtwinj How to pronounce twinge (audio) \

Definition of twinge

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a sudden sharp stab of pain
2 : a moral or emotional pang a twinge of conscience a twinge of sympathy

twinge

verb
twinged; twinging\ ˈtwin-​jiŋ How to pronounce twinging (audio) \ or twingeing

Definition of twinge (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 dialect : pluck, tweak
2 : to affect with a sharp pain or pang

intransitive verb

: to feel a sudden sharp local pain

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Synonyms for twinge

Synonyms: Noun

ache, pain, pang, prick, shoot, smart, sting, stitch, throe, tingle

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Examples of twinge in a Sentence

Noun

He felt a twinge of arthritis when he stood up. I still feel an occasional twinge in my leg from the accident. I felt a twinge of guilt. I must admit to a twinge of envy.
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Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

They are fried to a crunchy shell with light, fluffy cornbread batter inside that tastes like a breakfast muffin with a twinge of heat. Chuck Blount, ExpressNews.com, "52 Weeks of Burgers: Burger Culture," 9 Aug. 2019 Crosby reveals with palpable twinges of hurt that none of his former bandmates want to talk to him, and the feelings will never change. Mara Reinstein, Billboard, "'David Crosby: Remember My Name' Is a Bittersweet, Insightful Look at a Legend in His Final Act: Review," 10 July 2019 Beyond any singular character, Stranger Things regains a bit of its edge, that twinge of darkness ultimately putting it in TV-14 territory per Netflix ratings. Nathan Mattise, Ars Technica, "Stranger Things without Spoiler Things: It’s dark, different, and still delightful," 1 July 2019 Watching him achieve sentience has a wonderful twinge of Frankensteinian horror, as Forky is at first horrified by his newfound existence. Christian Holub, EW.com, "All hail Forky: Critics rave about the trash-toy at the center of Toy Story 4," 13 June 2019 Perhaps a slightly empathetic young person—with just a twinge of feeling for the Thou—finding the right fiction would be yearned into other text. David Means, Harper's magazine, "A writer alone with the work," 10 Apr. 2019 The Escapist Clutch The first twinge of spring is sure to stir a bit of wanderlust. Vogue, "5 Spring Essentials to Stock Up On," 19 Mar. 2019 So watching Hulu's PEN15, a coming-of-age comedy following two seventh grade girls in the year 2000, was a mixed experience: The rush of seeing the early aughts return, the uncomfortable twinges from remembering the growing pains of those years. Bonnie Stiernberg, Glamour, "I Wish Every Teen Girl Would Watch Hulu's PEN15," 10 Mar. 2019 Anyone who knows anything about the Romanovs should feel a twinge of foreboding. Caroline Hallemann, Town & Country, "What's the Story With The Romanoffs Controversial Opening Credits?," 27 Oct. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Over time, all that stress catches up to you, leaving the front of your shoulder joints twinging with every rep. Lauren Bedosky, SELF, "Why Your Wrists and Shoulders Hurt During Push-Ups and Planks—and How to Fix It," 3 Sep. 2017 A few minutes later, when his crossover and soaring dunk put the Warriors up 22-3, worries that Durant’s twinged calf muscle would slow him were out the window. Anthony Slater, The Mercury News, "Warriors smack Blazers in Game 4 rout, complete dominant first round sweep," 24 Apr. 2017 Bar Botellón, named for the endlessly popular Spanish tradition of public drinking, embraces this style, offering fusion-y bites of Spanish tortilla twinged with lemon rind or crostini topped with a pimento spread. Michael Russell | The Oregonian/oregonlive, OregonLive.com, "Portland's 10 best* Spanish restaurants," 7 June 2017 The result is an often heartfelt, always clean set with a focus on families and small-town life, all twinged with a healthy dose of non-sequitur madness (his Instagram account, for example, consists mostly of photos of tomatoes). Nick Vadala, Philly.com, "Comedian Joe Pera brings his grandfatherly stylings to Philadelphia this weekend," 16 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'twinge.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of twinge

Noun

1608, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

History and Etymology for twinge

Verb

Middle English twengen, from Old English twengan; akin to Old High German zwengen to pinch

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More Definitions for twinge

twinge

noun

English Language Learners Definition of twinge

: a sudden and usually slight pain
: a sudden slight feeling or emotion

twinge

noun
\ ˈtwinj How to pronounce twinge (audio) \

Kids Definition of twinge

 (Entry 1 of 2)

: a sudden sharp stab (as of pain or emotion) She felt a twinge of envy.

twinge

verb
twinged; twinging or twingeing

Kids Definition of twinge (Entry 2 of 2)

: to affect with or feel a sudden sharp pain or emotion

twinge

noun
\ ˈtwinj How to pronounce twinge (audio) \

Medical Definition of twinge

: a sudden sharp stab of pain