Cringe and Shrink

Cringe

Cringe verb - To draw back in fear, pain, or disgust.
Usage example: gruesome crime scene photos that made several jurors cringe

Shrink is a synonym for cringe in flinch topic. In some cases you can use "Shrink" instead the word "Cringe" as a verb or a noun, when it comes to topics like cower, approach, action, fear. popular alternative

Nearby Words: crinkle, cringing

Shrink

Shrink verb - To draw back in fear, pain, or disgust.
Usage example: shrinking back from the approaching flames

Cringe is a synonym for shrink in flinch topic. You can use "Cringe" instead the word "Shrink" as a verb or a noun, if it concerns topics such as recoil, approach, fear, wince. popular alternative

Nearby Words: shrinking, shrinkage

Common collocations

way cringe way shrink way
Cite this Source
Shrink and Cringe. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/cringe/shrink
Cringe & Shrink. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/cringe/shrink>.
Shrink or Cringe. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/cringe/shrink.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "cringe" and "shrink" have occurred on timeline