FLINCH: Synonyms and Related Words. What is Another Word for FLINCH?

Need another word that means the same as “flinch”? Find 38 synonyms and 30 related words for “flinch” in this overview.

The synonyms of “Flinch” are: cringe, funk, quail, recoil, shrink, squinch, wince, start, shy, shy away, pull back, back away, draw back, withdraw, blench, squirm, quiver, shudder, shiver, tremble, quake, shake, cower, waver, falter, hesitate, get cold feet, blanch, turn away, swerve, hang back, demur, jerk, twitch, spasm, convulsion, jump

Flinch as a Noun

Definitions of "Flinch" as a noun

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “flinch” as a noun can have the following definitions:

• A reflex response to sudden pain.
• An act of flinching.

Synonyms of "Flinch" as a noun (6 Words)

convulsion	An earthquake or other violent or major movement of the earth’s crust. Convulsions of laughter.
jump	The act of jumping propelling yourself off the ground. You get the jumps you feel like J Edgar Hoover s on your tail.
spasm	Sudden constriction of a hollow organ (as a blood vessel. The airways in the lungs go into spasm.
twitch	A sudden pull or jerk. He felt a twitch of annoyance.
wince	The facial expression of sudden pain.

Usage Examples of "Flinch" as a noun

• ‘Don't call me that,’ he said with a flinch.

Flinch as a Verb

Definitions of "Flinch" as a verb

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “flinch” as a verb can have the following definitions:

• Make a quick, nervous movement as an instinctive reaction to fear, pain, or surprise.
• Avoid doing or becoming involved in (something) through fear or anxiety.
• Draw back, as with fear or pain.

Synonyms of "Flinch" as a verb (32 Words)

back away	Travel backward.
blanch	Briefly immerse (an item of food) in boiling water, especially as a technique for removing the skin from nuts or fruit or for preparing vegetables for further cooking. I blanched the carrots for a couple of minutes before roasting them.
blench	Become pale. Lord Ralph blenched at the very idea of working from dawn until dusk.
cower	Crouch or curl up. Children cowered in terror as the shoot out erupted.
cringe	Experience an inward shiver of embarrassment or disgust. He cringed away from the blow.
demur	Put forward a demurrer. He demurred at my suggestion to work on Saturday.
draw back	Cause to flow.
falter	Speak haltingly. He faltered and finally stopped in mid stride.
funk	Draw back, as with fear or pain. I could have seen him this morning but I funked it.
get cold feet	Suffer from the receipt of.
hang back	Kill by hanging.
hesitate	Interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing. She hesitated unsure of what to say.
pull back	Strip of feathers.
quail	Draw back, as with fear or pain.
quake	(of a person) shake or shudder with fear. He was a large man with a flaming temper and I was quaking as I ran to his office.
quiver	Cause (something) to make a slight rapid motion. The bird runs along in a zigzag path quivering its wings.
recoil	Suddenly spring or flinch back in fear, horror, or disgust. He recoiled in horror.
shake	Shake a body part to communicate a greeting feeling or cognitive state. My faith has been shaken.
shiver	Shake slightly and uncontrollably as a result of being cold, frightened, or excited. The children are shivering turn on the heat.
shrink	Reduce in size; reduce physically. I don t shrink from my responsibilities.
shudder	(especially of a vehicle, machine, or building) shake or vibrate violently. The building cracked and shuddered.
shy	Avoid doing or becoming involved in (something) due to nervousness or a lack of confidence. Don t shy away from saying what you think.
shy away	Start suddenly, as from fright.
squinch	Cross one’s eyes as if in strabismus.
squirm	Wriggle or twist the body from side to side, especially as a result of nervousness or discomfort. He squirmed as he recalled the phrases he had used.
start	Give a signal to competitors to start in a race. The mortar in the joints had started.
swerve	Turn sharply; change direction abruptly. A lorry swerved across her path.
tremble	(of a structure or area of land) shake or quiver slightly. I tremble to think that we could ever return to conditions like these.
turn away	Alter the functioning or setting of.
waver	Move hesitatingly, as if about to give way. His love for her had never wavered.
wince	Make a face indicating disgust or dislike. He winced at the disgust in her voice.
withdraw	Withdraw from active participation. This machine withdraws heat from the environment.

Usage Examples of "Flinch" as a verb

• He had faced death without flinching.
• She flinched when they showed the slaughtering of the calf.
• I rarely flinch from a fight when I'm sure of myself.
• She flinched at the acidity in his voice.

Associations of "Flinch" (30 Words)

abate	Reduce or remove (a nuisance. The storm suddenly abated.
astringent	An astringent lotion applied to the skin to reduce bleeding from minor abrasions or as a cosmetic to make the skin less oily. His subversive and astringent humour.
backlash	A movement back from an impact. The political movie backlashed on the Democrats.
boggle	Startle with amazement or fear. The mind boggles at the spectacle.
cringe	An act of cringing. I cringed at the fellow s stupidity.
curtail	Terminate or abbreviate before its intended or proper end or its full extent. Personal freedom is curtailed in many countries.
deaden	Make (a noise or sensation) less strong or intense. Deadened wine.
decrease	Decrease in size extent or range. He decreased his staff.
decrement	A process of becoming smaller or shorter. The instruction decrements the accumulator by one.
deflate	Become deflated or flaccid as by losing air. The new measures deflated the economy.
depletion	The act of decreasing something markedly. The depletion of the ozone layer.
diminish	Cause to seem less impressive or valuable. The trial has aged and diminished him.
downgrade	An instance of reducing someone or something’s rank, status, or level of importance. Downgrades by debt rating agencies outnumber upgrades by five to one.
dwindle	Become smaller or lose substance. Traffic has dwindled to a trickle.
fade	Lose freshness, vigor, or vitality. His fair hair had faded to a dusty grey.
languish	Be forced to remain in an unpleasant place or situation. Kelso languish near the bottom of the Scottish First Division.
lessen	Make or become less; diminish. The years have lessened the gap in age between us.
recoil	The action of recoiling. The rifle recoiled.
retrench	Make (an employee) redundant. Right wing parties which seek to retrench the welfare state.
rundown	A reduction in the productivity or activities of a company or institution. He gave his teammates a rundown on the opposition.
shorten	Make (a vowel or syllable) short. Before sail could be shortened she went on to her beam ends.
shrink	Become smaller or draw together. You should see a shrink.
shrinkage	The amount by which something shrinks. Shrinkage is the retail trade s euphemism for shoplifting.
shrivel	Wither, as with a loss of moisture. The fruit dried and shriveled.
squat	A squatting position. He can squat 850 pounds.
wane	Grow smaller. Interest in the project waned.
wilt	Any of a number of fungal or bacterial diseases of plants characterized by wilting of the foliage. My opponent was wilting.
wince	The facial expression of sudden pain. She winced when she heard his pompous speech.
wither	Wither as with a loss of moisture. She withered him with a glance.
wizened	Shrivelled or wrinkled with age. A wizened little man with frizzy grey hair.