Cringey

Pronunciation: /ˈkrɪndʒi/

Definitions of cringey

adjective causing feelings of embarrassment or awkwardness; awkward or uncomfortable to watch or experience

Example Sentences

A1 The movie was cringey because of the awkward dialogues.

A2 I find it cringey when people try too hard to be funny.

B1 The video went viral for all the wrong reasons, it was just cringey to watch.

B2 The stand-up comedian's jokes were so cringey that the audience started to feel uncomfortable.

C1 The cringey behavior of the politician during the press conference was widely criticized by the public.

C2 The cringey attempts at flirting by the character in the novel made the readers cringe with secondhand embarrassment.

Examples of cringey in a Sentence

formal The speech he gave was quite cringey, filled with awkward pauses and nervous laughter.

informal I couldn't help but cringe at the cringey TikTok video she posted.

slang That outfit is so cringey, I can't believe she actually wore it out in public.

figurative His attempt at flirting was so cringey, it was like watching a train wreck in slow motion.

Grammatical Forms of cringey

• past tense: cringed
• plural: cringeys
• comparative: more cringey
• superlative: most cringey
• present tense: cringe
• future tense: will cringe
• perfect tense: have cringed
• continuous tense: is cringing
• singular: cringey
• positive degree: cringey
• infinitive: to cringe
• gerund: cringing
• participle: cringed

Origin and Evolution of cringey

First Known Use: 2009 year

Language of Origin: English

Story behind the word: The word 'cringey' is believed to have originated as a colloquial term in British English.

Evolution of the word: Originally used to describe something that causes discomfort or embarrassment, the word 'cringey' has evolved to also convey a sense of secondhand embarrassment or awkwardness when witnessing someone else's actions or behavior.