cringe | Definition of cringe

Synonyms and Antonyms of cringe

1 to draw back in fear, pain, or disgust

gruesome crime scene photos that made several jurors cringe

Synonyms of cringe

blench, flinch, quail, recoil, shrink, squinch, wince

Words Related to cringe

blanch, pale, whiten

quake, quiver, shake, shudder, tremble

jerk, start, twitch

recede, retire, retreat, withdraw

falter, hesitate, reel, waver

Near Antonyms of cringe

advance, approach, near

beard, challenge, confront, defy, face

2 to draw back or crouch down in fearful submission

the puppy cringed when his master raised the rolled-up newspaper

Synonyms of cringe

cower, grovel, quail

Words Related to cringe

flinch, recoil, shrink, squinch

blanch, blench, whiten

fawn, kowtow, toady