flinch

7 synonyms and 1 antonym for flinch, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Verb — To make a sudden, involuntary movement away from something painful, frightening, or unpleasant.

Synonyms

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

shrink funk cringe

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

recoil quail wince squinch

Synonyms by Meaning

1. verb

To make a sudden, involuntary movement away from something painful, frightening, or unpleasant.

“He didn't even flinch when the needle went in.”

shrink funk cringe recoil quail wince squinch

2. verb

To hesitate or avoid facing something difficult.

“She never flinched from telling the hard truth.”

Opposites

face

3. noun

A sudden involuntary jerk away from something.

“There was a slight flinch in his expression before he answered.”

wince

How to use flinch

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

flinch at the sight without flinching flinch from the truth

Etymology

From Middle French flenchir ("to bend"), of Germanic origin.

Full origin of flinch →

Frequently asked questions

What does “flinch” mean?

The word “flinch” means to make a sudden, involuntary movement away from something painful, frightening, or unpleasant. In plain terms, to pull back or wince, usually from pain, fear, or an unpleasant task — or to shy away from doing something difficult.

How do you pronounce “flinch”?

“Flinch” is pronounced FLIHNCH (/ˈflɪnt͡ʃ/ in IPA).

How do you use “flinch” in a sentence?

Here is “flinch” used in a sentence: “He didn't even flinch when the needle went in.”

What part of speech is “flinch”?

Depending on how it is used, “flinch” can be a verb and a noun.

Where does the word “flinch” come from?

The word “flinch” comes from Middle French. From Middle French flenchir ("to bend"), of Germanic origin.

How many meanings does “flinch” have?

“Flinch” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to make a sudden, involuntary movement away from something painful, frightening, or unpleasant.

Related words

cringe

People also searched

face shrink funk cringe recoil quail wince squinch

Nearby words

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