flinch

verb

ˈflinch 

flinched; flinching; flinches

intransitive verb

: 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

Synonyms

• blench
• cringe
• quail
• recoil
• shrink
• squinch
• wince

Choose the Right Synonym for flinch

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 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

When UConn, national champs the last two years, appears on the screen on Selection Sunday, probably as a No. 8 seed, their first-, and potential second-round opponent may flinch, for a moment, at seeing the Huskies’ brand in their bracket. —Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2025

Witnesses to Utah’s last firing squad execution recently recalled to NBC News the sound of rapid gunfire in the chamber and how the inmate, Ronnie Lee Gardner, appeared to flinch and move his arm after being shot. —Tim Stelloh, NBC News, 7 Mar. 2025

Still, some parents flinched at the sheer velocity of Space Club as a branding exercise. —Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 7 Feb. 2025

Otherwise, Quinn didn’t flinch, knowing Peters was running the show. —Ben Standig, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle French flenchir to bend, of Germanic origin; akin to Middle High German lenken to bend, Old High German hlanca flank — more at lank

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for flinch

• cinch
• finch
• inch
• lynch
• pinch
• synch
• winch
• bullfinch
• goldfinch

Kids Definition

flinch

verb

ˈflinch 

: to draw back from or as if from physical pain : wince

flinch noun

flincher noun