winced; wincing

intransitive verb

: to shrink back involuntarily (as from pain) : flinch
wince noun
Choose the Right Synonym for wince

recoil, shrink, flinch, wince, blench, quail mean to draw back in fear or distaste.

recoil implies a start or movement away through shock, fear, or disgust.

recoiled at the suggestion of stealing

shrink suggests an instinctive recoil through sensitiveness, scrupulousness, or cowardice.

shrank from the unpleasant truth

flinch implies a failure to endure pain or face something dangerous or frightening with resolution.

faced her accusers without flinching

wince suggests a slight involuntary physical reaction (such as a start or recoiling).

winced in pain

blench implies fainthearted flinching.

stood their ground without blenching

quail suggests shrinking and cowering in fear.

quailed before the apparition

Examples of wince in a Sentence

winced at the movie's graphic depiction of combat injuries
Recent Examples on the Web The boatman circled cautiously, then winced when Wilson, the jujitsu champion, suddenly launched an aerial drone and banged on the boat’s gunwale to get the animals’ attention. Joshua Hammer, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 June 2024 In a new survey of more than 2,000 consumers, the personal finance site LendingTree found that many diners are wincing at their restaurant receipts. Daniel De Visé, USA TODAY, 30 May 2024 After rounding third, Stanton appeared to wince on his way to the plate. Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 23 June 2024 Since the demonstrations erupted in September 2022, Western leaders have winced at the suggestion that sanctions could be lifted as part of a nuclear agreement. Vali Nasr, Foreign Affairs, 6 Feb. 2023 See all Example Sentences for wince 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wince.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English wynsen to kick out, start, from Anglo-French *wincer, *guincer to shift direction, dodge, by-form of guenchir, probably of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German wenken, wankōn to totter — more at wench

First Known Use

circa 1748, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wince was circa 1748

Dictionary Entries Near wince

Cite this Entry

“Wince.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wince. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.

Kids Definition

wince

verb
winced; wincing
: to shrink back (as from pain) : flinch
the cut on my leg caused me to wince
the crowd winced when the skater fell on the ice
wince noun

More from Merriam-Webster on wince

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