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Definitions

recoil

[ri-koil, ree-koil, ri-koil] / rɪˈkɔɪl, ˈriˌkɔɪl, rɪˈkɔɪl /
VERB
shrink away
Synonyms
STRONGEST
backfire balk blanch blink cringe demur flinch hesitate reel shudder tremble turn away waver wince
STRONG
blench carom dodge duck falter jerk kick quail quake react rebound resile shake shirk shrink spring start stick stickle swerve withdraw
WEAK
draw back pull back shy away step back
Antonyms
STRONGEST
steady
STRONG
face meet remain stay

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.

He follows Britain's Keir Starmer, France's Emmanuel Macron and Canada's Mark Carney, as they recoil from the mercurial policies of Trump, who is also expected to visit from March 31.

From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026

Today’s readers might recoil at the thought of a Scotsman making a pet out of a wild animal caught in southern Iraq.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2026

I love both because they thrive in the gray area of appetite: nothing too hot, nothing too cold, nothing that makes me recoil from a bite.

From Salon • Jan. 29, 2026

The instinct to recoil at the killing of a fellow person, and to feel some vicarious pain as we consider the loss, is part of what makes us human.

From Slate • Jan. 9, 2026

The recoil from this emission changes the velocity of the matter particle.

From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking