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flinched

VERB

shy away, wince

Synonyms

STRONGEST

balk blanch blink cower cringe recoil

STRONG

avoid blench crouch duck elude escape eschew evade flee quail recede retire retreat shirk shrink shun start swerve withdraw

WEAK

draw back

Antonyms

STRONG

advance face forge meet remain stay stretch take on

WEAK

confront

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.

As young men flinched and gasped around me at the Los Angeles premiere of “Obsession,” I almost had to laugh.

From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026

On the other hand, rich drivers barely flinched.

From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026

Judiciary chief Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei, meanwhile, barely flinched as an explosion rocked an area close to the demonstration, in images widely broadcast on state TV.

From Barron's • Mar. 14, 2026

Weakness, coupled with suspicion, brought on the clash when Louis flinched from using force.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 31, 2025

At her probing gaze, he lifted a hand to his lip, brushed a thumb against it, and Clara flinched so hard she almost shattered the chair.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny