flinched; flinching; flinches
: to withdraw or shrink from or as if from pain : wince
He flinched when he was presented with the car repair bill.
also
: to tense the muscles involuntarily in anticipation of discomfort
I cannot help flinching when I hear the dentist's drill.
flinch
noun
flincher
noun
Examples of flinch in a Sentence
He flinched when I tapped him on the shoulder.
She met danger without flinching.
The bill was much higher than expected, but he paid it without flinching.
Recent Examples on the Web
Barely flinching, the singer picks it up and tosses it back into the crowd before continuing his performance.
—
Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 4 July 2024
Noah scared other vets, but Baillie never flinched when treating him, Buske said.
—Mary Divine, Twin Cities, 27 June 2024
Hasina did not flinch under American pressure and was returned to power in a ballot boycotted by the opposition and denounced by the U.S. as neither free nor fair.
—Charlie Campbell, TIME, 24 June 2024
When her potential charges were read out, some of the children seated nearby flinched, with shocked expressions on their faces.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 12 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for flinch 
Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 4 July 2024
Noah scared other vets, but Baillie never flinched when treating him, Buske said.
—Mary Divine, Twin Cities, 27 June 2024
Hasina did not flinch under American pressure and was returned to power in a ballot boycotted by the opposition and denounced by the U.S. as neither free nor fair.
—Charlie Campbell, TIME, 24 June 2024
When her potential charges were read out, some of the children seated nearby flinched, with shocked expressions on their faces.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 12 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for flinch
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'flinch.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Flinch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flinch. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
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