cringe
Third Person
cringes
Present Participle
cringing
Past Tense
cringed
Past Participle
cringed
1
to draw back involuntarily, often in response to fear, pain, embarrassment, or discomfort
- The loud thunder made the dog cringe in fear and seek shelter.
- She couldn't help but cringe when she saw the gruesome scene in the horror movie.
- The sharp criticism from her boss made her cringe with embarrassment.
- The thought of public speaking makes him cringe, as he's always been shy.
- Witnessing the accident made bystanders cringe in horror at the impact.
2
to exhibit a submissive or fearful reaction, often bending to authority or intimidation
- The bullied student would cringe in the presence of his tormentors.
- In the face of the intimidating boss, employees often cringed and complied with every demand.
- The villagers would cringe before the oppressive ruler, fearing the consequences of defiance.
- The abused dog would cringe at the sound of raised voices, having experienced harsh treatment in the past.
- Political dissidents had to be cautious in their speech, lest they cringe before the authoritarian government's reprisals.