Definition of cringe
Short definition: The word cringe means feeling really awkward or embarrassed, especially when you see or hear something that feels uncomfortable, strange, or just too much, even if the word cringe is happening to someone else.
Looking for a clear and natural explanation of the word cringe? The word cringe is very common in modern conversation, especially online. People use it when something feels awkward, embarrassing, or hard to watch. Sometimes it describes a physical reaction, and sometimes it talks about a feeling inside. You will hear it in daily chats, social media comments, and even in serious discussions about behavior. Below, each meaning is explained in a calm and natural way, so it feels clear, human, and easy to understand.
Forms: cringe, cringes, cringed, cringing
Related: awkward adj., embarrassment n.
Syllable: cringe
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(Verb) To react physically or emotionally to something that feels extremely awkward embarrassing or uncomfortable.
To cringe means to feel so uncomfortable or embarrassed by what you see or hear that your body reacts automatically, like shrinking inside, making a face, or wanting to look away because the moment feels too awkward to handle.
I had to cringe when he told that awkward joke in front of everyone because the silence afterward felt almost painful.She cringed watching her old videos because she could not believe how different she used to act back then.We all cringed when the presentation failed and he struggled to fix it in front of the whole room.Synonyms: feel embarrassed, wince, feel awkward, shrink inside, feel secondhand shame, feel uncomfortable, squirm, feel uneasy, react awkwardly, feel ashamed, feel weird, feel tense
Antonyms: feel confident, feel comfortable, enjoy the moment, feel proud, stay relaxed, feel cool, stay calm, feel at ease, feel happy, feel bold, feel secure, feel confident -
(Noun) A feeling of secondhand embarrassment when watching or remembering something awkward.
A cringe is the uncomfortable feeling you get when someone does something embarrassing or awkward, even if it is not happening to you, making you feel awkward on their behalf.
Watching that scene again gave me serious cringe because the moment was just too awkward to handle.The whole video was pure cringe, but people still shared it because it was funny in a strange way.There was so much cringe in the meeting that everyone wanted it to end quickly.Synonyms: secondhand embarrassment, awkward feeling, uncomfortable moment, social pain, embarrassment vibe, uneasy feeling, awkward energy, social discomfort, cringe moment, awkward tension, weird feeling, shame feeling
Antonyms: pride, confidence, comfort, ease, cool feeling, relaxed mood, good vibe, positive energy, smooth moment, enjoyable feeling, pleasant experience, happy moment -
(Adjective) Describing something that feels awkward embarrassing or painfully uncomfortable to watch.
When something is called cringe, it means it is so awkward or embarrassing that people feel uncomfortable just seeing it, like a video, joke, or behavior that misses the moment badly.
That video was so cringe that I could not even finish watching it.He admitted his old posts were pretty cringe now that he looks back at them.Everyone agreed the speech was cringe, even though he tried his best.Synonyms: awkward, embarrassing, uncomfortable, painful to watch, weird, off putting, secondhand awkward, socially awkward, embarrassing to see, hard to watch, uncomfortable vibe, awkward energy
Antonyms: cool, smooth, confident, impressive, natural, charming, comfortable, classy, pleasant, enjoyable, easy to watch, relaxed -
(Slang) A casual way to judge something as awkward or embarrassing.
In modern slang, people say something is cringe to quickly judge it as awkward, embarrassing, or not cool, often used in online comments, memes, and casual chats.
He commented cringe under the post because the joke felt forced and awkward.She said that dance move was cringe, but still laughed about it.They call everything cringe when it feels even a little embarrassing.Synonyms: awkward, embarrassing, not cool, weird, off vibe, uncomfortable, lame, secondhand shame, social fail, awkward energy, bad look, weird moment
Antonyms: cool, awesome, smooth, nice, impressive, great, chill, fun, clean, classy, good look, perfect vibe