cringe
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The results of a recent survey from wealth-management platform Betterment are making America’s financial advisers cringe.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026
A: When I interview portfolio managers and ask them what they’ve been reading for fun, I always cringe when they recite a list of business books.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
Social media users were also split, with one viewer writing that Meghan was "warm, gracious and a delight to watch" while another called Prince Harry's cameo appearance "cringe".
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
“To be cringe about it, the ’90s babydoll dress wasn’t designed for the male gaze,” says my friend Rachel, a keen observer of Gen X fashion then and now.
From Salon ● Jun. 12, 2026
I cringe as a raspy voice asks, “What you want?”
From "Dragons in a Bag" by Zetta Elliott
He drives a Ford pickup truck and cringes at needing a security detail, according to a person who knows him well.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 16, 2026
"I was in the studio and Lois texted me, 'By the way, we forgot our anniversary'," he cringes.
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2025
But he cringes when anyone suggests he’s an adrenaline junkie.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2024
I'm a loving person who cringes at everything associated with February 14, a fan of democracy who wants to hide every time July 4 rolls around and a very grateful individual who actively dislikes Thanksgiving.
From Salon ● Nov. 22, 2023
Sammy rubs his forehead and cringes, as if realizing he walked right into that one.
From "X: A Novel" by Ilyasah Shabazz
Like almost every parent, I cringed whenever my child or another player headed the ball.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
As we showered afterward, I cringed when my hair came away in our hands.
From Slate ● May 23, 2026
The lead lawyer for Google "visibly cringed" when the specific share of ad revenue sent to Apple was revealed, according to Bloomberg.
From BBC ● Nov. 14, 2023
And I just cringed, because Jill and I, neither one of us would care if people took pictures.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 28, 2023
My mom cringed and said, in Farsi, “Is this really what you’re going to wear?”
From "A Very Large Expanse of Sea" by Tahereh Mafi
“If you’re cringing about writing one performance review, imagine your manager who has to write 15 of them,” says executive coach Sabina Nawaz.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 29, 2026
These lies are so dumb and easy to disprove that the onetime criminal defense attorney in me is cringing.
From Slate ● Aug. 16, 2024
Even some liberal economists are cringing a bit.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 4, 2023
It’s the kind of achievement that the theater world likes to applaud, while perhaps also cringing at the fact that it has taken this long.
From New York Times ● Apr. 5, 2023
“Is he going to die?” he forced himself to say, cringing at how shallow and empty it sounded.
From "The Maze Runner" by James Dashner
Vocabulary lists containing cringe
The Lingo of Body Language
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Of Mice and Men"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
List 13
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
