cringe
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Things, particularly online content, which would cause an onlooker to cringe from secondhand embarrassment.
Register: derogatory, slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
Bro... you just posted cringe
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “cringe” mean?
Things, particularly online content, which would cause an onlooker to cringe from secondhand embarrassment.
Is “cringe” formal or informal?
cringe is generally derogatory, slang.