"cringeworthy" meaning in English

See cringeworthy in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adjective

IPA: /ˈkɹɪnd͡ʒˌwɜːði/ [Received-Pronunciation], /ˈkɹɪnd͡ʒˌwəːðɪj/ [British, Southern, Standard], /ˈkɾɪnd͡ʒˌweːði/ (note: Liverpool, fair–fur merger), /ˈkɹɪnd͡ʒˌweːði/ (note: Humberside, Teesside, fair–fur merger), /ˈkɹɪnd͡ʒˌwɜːvi/ (note: England, th-fronting), /ˈkɾɪnd͡ʒˌwʌɾðe/ [Scotland], /-ðɪ/ [Scotland], /-ði/ [Scotland], /ˈkɾɪnd͡ʒˌwøːði/ [Wales], /ˈkɹɪnd͡ʒˌwɝði/ [US], /ˈkɹɪnd͡ʒˌwɜːði/ [Australia], /ˈkɹənd͡ʒˌwøːði/ [New-Zealand] Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-cringeworthy.wav [Southern-England], LL-Q1860 (eng)-Naomi Persephone Amethyst (NaomiAmethyst)-cringeworthy.wav [General-American] Forms: more cringeworthy [comparative], cringeworthier [comparative], most cringeworthy [superlative], cringeworthiest [superlative], cringe-worthy [alternative]
Etymology: From cringe (verb) + -worthy (suffix meaning of ‘sufficient worth for, deserving of’), popularized by the surname of the character Cuthbert Cringeworthy, an extremely studious pupil introduced in 1972 into The Bash Street Kids, a comic strip by the Scottish cartoonist David Sutherland (1933–2023) published in the British magazine The Beano. Etymology templates: {{lg|suffix}} suffix, {{ety|en|:af|cringe<pos:v>|-worthy<pos:suffix meaning of ‘sufficient worth for, deserving of’>|nodot=1|text=+|tree=1}} [Appendix:Glossary#suffix|suffix]] meaning of ‘sufficient worth for, deserving of’" } ], "keyword_label" : "From", "is_group" : true, "keyword" : "affix" } ], "lang_name" : "English", "term" : "cringeworthy", "status" : "ok", "lang" : "en" }" data-lang="en" data-title="cringeworthy"> From cringe (verb) + -worthy (suffix meaning of ‘sufficient worth for, deserving of’) Head templates: {{en-adj|more,er}} cringeworthy (comparative more cringeworthy or cringeworthier, superlative most cringeworthy or cringeworthiest)
  1. (informal) That causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment (often vicarious embarrassment), etc.; awkward, disgusting, embarrassing. Wikipedia link: The Bash Street Kids, The Beano Tags: informal Synonyms: cringe, cringey, squirmworthy, winceworthy Derived forms: cringeworthily, cringeworthiness Related terms: cringe, cringey, cringy, cringily, cringiness, cringingly Translations (that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.): քինջ (kʻinǰ) [slang] (Armenian), əttökən (Azerbaijani), криндж (krindž) (Bulgarian), 令人尷尬的 /令人尴尬的 (lìngrén gāngà de) (Chinese Mandarin), hrozně nepříjemný [masculine] (Czech), tåkrummende (Danish), tenenkrommend (Dutch), tenenkrullend (Dutch), hontiga (Esperanto), hontinda (Esperanto), kiusaannuttava (Finnish), myötähäpeää aiheuttava (Finnish), nolo (Finnish), embarrassant (French), malaisant (French), blamabel (German), beschämend (German), erschütternd (German), peinlich (German), unangenehm (German), zum Fremdschämen (German), zum In-den-Boden-Versinken (German), ciki (Hungarian), kínos (Hungarian), kjánahrollur (Icelandic), pínlegur (Icelandic), imbarazzante (Italian), 痛い (itai) (alt: いたい) [slang] (Japanese), 오글오글 (ogeurogeul) (Korean), cringe (Norwegian Bokmål), pinlig (Norwegian Bokmål), cringe'owy (Polish), zawstydzający (Polish), żenujący (Polish), стрёмный (strjómnyj) (Russian), que da alipori/grima (Spanish), de alipori/grima (Spanish), para morir(se) de vergüenza (Spanish)

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

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          "text": "But the top goon's one-panel reform described by Robin on the last page was absolutely cringeworthy … especially since the author had so successfully built up his image as a first-rate shnook.",
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          "ref": "2012 June 15, Halle Kiefer, “The Ten Most Cringe-Worthy Moments on ‘Girls’”, in Rolling Stone, New York, N.Y.: Penske Media Corporation, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 30 Jun 2025:",
          "text": "Lena Dunham's acclaimed show about the highs and lows – but mostly lows – of being young in the city ends its first season this week. We remember the cringe-worthiest moments we almost wish we didn't.",
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          "ref": "2012 August 25, Julie Miller, “The 25 Least Fashionable Films of All Time”, in Graydon Carter, editor, Vanity Fair, New York, N.Y.: Condé Nast, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 26 Jan 2015:",
          "text": "When most people think of cringe-worthy disco-era fashion, John Travolta’s breakout feature, Saturday Night Fever, comes to mind. But for even cringe-worthier disco styles, seek out Saturday Night Fever’s 1983 Sylvester Stallone–directed sequel, Staying Alive. In the follow-up, Travolta’s lovable, if cocky, dancer Tony Manero downgrades from his white disco suit to Grecian-style dancing briefs, cloth knee-high dancing boots, and enough body oil to warrant a “special thanks” in the credits.",
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          "ref": "2014 November 18, Gail Sullivan, “Oxford Dictionaries’ word of the year is ‘vape’”, in The Washington Post, Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 18 Dec 2014:",
          "text": "The last word on words has spoken. Oxford Dictionaries chose \"vape\" as the word of the year. It was selected over cringeworthier choices such as \"slacktivism\" or \"bae\" – the latter a term of endearment that was a top contender for censorship in Time magazine's \"Which Word Should Be Banned in 2015?\" poll.",
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          "ref": "2017 February 5, Maura Judkis, Bethonie Butler, “The five worst Super Bowl commercials”, in The Washington Post, Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 06 Feb 2017:",
          "text": "These ads aren't as bad as some of the worst ads from previous years – let us not forget the gross GoDaddy commercials, or the Nationwide \"Dead Kid\" commercial of Super Bowls past – but they’re definitely the cringeworthiest of an already forgettable crop.",
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          "ref": "2018 November 15, Jessica Rach, “‘I told Daniel Radcliffe he looked like a wizard’: Twitter users share their most hilariously embarrassing celebrity encounters – including mistaking Ed Sheeran for a waiter”, in Daily Mail, London: DMG Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 03 Jun 2019:",
          "text": "After asking followers for their own embarrassing experiences, the topic quickly went viral, with other fans tweeting their cringe-worthiest moments.",
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          "ref": "2022 May 4, Stefanie Foster, “Great British Rail Sale Failed!”, in Rail, number 956, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire: Bauer Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 3:",
          "text": "It also presented a golden opportunity for Transport Secretary Grant Shapps to wear silly outfits and produce yet another cringeworthy video, which attracted sharp criticism online.",
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        "That causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment (often vicarious embarrassment), etc.; awkward, disgusting, embarrassing."
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          "embarrassment"
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          "vicarious embarrassment",
          "vicarious embarrassment"
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          "awkward",
          "awkward"
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          "disgusting#Adjective"
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          "embarrassing",
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      "raw_glosses": [
        "(informal) That causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment (often vicarious embarrassment), etc.; awkward, disgusting, embarrassing."
      ],
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        {
          "word": "cringe"
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        {
          "word": "cringey"
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          "word": "cringy"
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        {
          "word": "cringe"
        },
        {
          "word": "cringey"
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        {
          "word": "squirmworthy"
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        {
          "word": "winceworthy"
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      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "hy",
          "lang": "Armenian",
          "lang_code": "hy",
          "roman": "kʻinǰ",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "tags": [
            "slang"
          ],
          "word": "քինջ"
        },
        {
          "code": "az",
          "lang": "Azerbaijani",
          "lang_code": "az",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "əttökən"
        },
        {
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "lang_code": "bg",
          "roman": "krindž",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "криндж"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "lang_code": "cmn",
          "roman": "lìngrén gāngà de",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "令人尷尬的 /令人尴尬的"
        },
        {
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "lang_code": "cs",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "hrozně nepříjemný"
        },
        {
          "code": "da",
          "lang": "Danish",
          "lang_code": "da",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "tåkrummende"
        },
        {
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "lang_code": "nl",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "tenenkrommend"
        },
        {
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "lang_code": "nl",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "tenenkrullend"
        },
        {
          "code": "eo",
          "lang": "Esperanto",
          "lang_code": "eo",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "hontiga"
        },
        {
          "code": "eo",
          "lang": "Esperanto",
          "lang_code": "eo",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "hontinda"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "lang_code": "fi",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "kiusaannuttava"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "lang_code": "fi",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "myötähäpeää aiheuttava"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "lang_code": "fi",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "nolo"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "lang_code": "fr",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "embarrassant"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "lang_code": "fr",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "malaisant"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "lang_code": "de",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "blamabel"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "lang_code": "de",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "beschämend"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "lang_code": "de",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "erschütternd"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "lang_code": "de",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "peinlich"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "lang_code": "de",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "unangenehm"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "lang_code": "de",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "zum Fremdschämen"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "lang_code": "de",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "zum In-den-Boden-Versinken"
        },
        {
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "lang_code": "hu",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "ciki"
        },
        {
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "lang_code": "hu",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "kínos"
        },
        {
          "code": "is",
          "lang": "Icelandic",
          "lang_code": "is",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "kjánahrollur"
        },
        {
          "code": "is",
          "lang": "Icelandic",
          "lang_code": "is",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "pínlegur"
        },
        {
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "lang_code": "it",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "imbarazzante"
        },
        {
          "alt": "いたい",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "lang_code": "ja",
          "roman": "itai",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "tags": [
            "slang"
          ],
          "word": "痛い"
        },
        {
          "code": "ko",
          "lang": "Korean",
          "lang_code": "ko",
          "roman": "ogeurogeul",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "오글오글"
        },
        {
          "code": "nb",
          "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
          "lang_code": "nb",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "cringe"
        },
        {
          "code": "nb",
          "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
          "lang_code": "nb",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "pinlig"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "lang_code": "pl",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "cringe'owy"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "lang_code": "pl",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "zawstydzający"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "lang_code": "pl",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "żenujący"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "lang_code": "ru",
          "roman": "strjómnyj",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "стрёмный"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "lang_code": "es",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "que da alipori/grima"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "lang_code": "es",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "de alipori/grima"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "lang_code": "es",
          "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
          "word": "para morir(se) de vergüenza"
        }
      ],
      "wikipedia": [
        "The Bash Street Kids",
        "The Beano"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkɹɪnd͡ʒˌwɜːði/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkɹɪnd͡ʒˌwəːðɪj/",
      "tags": [
        "British",
        "Southern",
        "Standard"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-cringeworthy.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/0c/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-cringeworthy.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-cringeworthy.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/0c/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-cringeworthy.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-cringeworthy.wav.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Southern-England"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkɾɪnd͡ʒˌweːði/",
      "note": "Liverpool, fair–fur merger"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkɹɪnd͡ʒˌweːði/",
      "note": "Humberside, Teesside, fair–fur merger"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkɹɪnd͡ʒˌwɜːvi/",
      "note": "England, th-fronting"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkɾɪnd͡ʒˌwʌɾðe/",
      "tags": [
        "Scotland"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/-ðɪ/",
      "tags": [
        "Scotland"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/-ði/",
      "tags": [
        "Scotland"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkɾɪnd͡ʒˌwøːði/",
      "tags": [
        "Wales"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkɹɪnd͡ʒˌwɝði/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Naomi Persephone Amethyst (NaomiAmethyst)-cringeworthy.wav",
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      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkɹɪnd͡ʒˌwɜːði/",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkɹənd͡ʒˌwøːði/",
      "tags": [
        "New-Zealand"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "cringeworthy"
}
{
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "cringeworthily"
    },
    {
      "word": "cringeworthiness"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "suffix"
      },
      "expansion": "suffix",
      "name": "lg"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":af",
        "3": "cringe<pos:v>",
        "4": "-worthy<pos:suffix meaning of ‘sufficient worth for, deserving of’>",
        "nodot": "1",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "[Appendix:Glossary#suffix|suffix]] meaning of ‘sufficient worth for, deserving of’\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"cringeworthy\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"cringeworthy\">\nFrom cringe (verb) + -worthy (suffix meaning of ‘sufficient worth for, deserving of’)",
      "name": "ety"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From cringe (verb) + -worthy (suffix meaning of ‘sufficient worth for, deserving of’), popularized by the surname of the character Cuthbert Cringeworthy, an extremely studious pupil introduced in 1972 into The Bash Street Kids, a comic strip by the Scottish cartoonist David Sutherland (1933–2023) published in the British magazine The Beano.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "more cringeworthy",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "cringeworthier",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "most cringeworthy",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "cringeworthiest",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "cringe-worthy",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "more,er"
      },
      "expansion": "cringeworthy (comparative more cringeworthy or cringeworthier, superlative most cringeworthy or cringeworthiest)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "hyphenations": [
    {
      "parts": [
        "cringe",
        "worthy"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "cringe"
    },
    {
      "word": "cringey"
    },
    {
      "word": "cringy"
    },
    {
      "word": "cringily"
    },
    {
      "word": "cringiness"
    },
    {
      "word": "cringingly"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English adjectives",
        "English entries referencing missing etymons",
        "English entries with etymology texts",
        "English entries with etymon",
        "English entries with incorrect language header",
        "English informal terms",
        "English lemmas",
        "English terms suffixed with -worthy",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "Entries with translation boxes",
        "Pages using etymon with no ID",
        "Pages with 1 entry",
        "Pages with entries",
        "Pages with etymon",
        "Terms with Armenian translations",
        "Terms with Azerbaijani translations",
        "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
        "Terms with Czech translations",
        "Terms with Danish translations",
        "Terms with Dutch translations",
        "Terms with Esperanto translations",
        "Terms with Finnish translations",
        "Terms with French translations",
        "Terms with German translations",
        "Terms with Hungarian translations",
        "Terms with Icelandic translations",
        "Terms with Italian translations",
        "Terms with Japanese translations",
        "Terms with Korean translations",
        "Terms with Mandarin translations",
        "Terms with Norwegian Bokmål translations",
        "Terms with Polish translations",
        "Terms with Russian translations",
        "Terms with Spanish translations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              87,
              99
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1967 November, Guy Lillian, “Letters to the Batcave”, in Batman, number 196, Sparta, Ill.: National Periodical Publications, →OCLC, column 2:",
          "text": "But the top goon's one-panel reform described by Robin on the last page was absolutely cringeworthy … especially since the author had so successfully built up his image as a first-rate shnook.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              150,
              166
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "2012 June 15, Halle Kiefer, “The Ten Most Cringe-Worthy Moments on ‘Girls’”, in Rolling Stone, New York, N.Y.: Penske Media Corporation, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 30 Jun 2025:",
          "text": "Lena Dunham's acclaimed show about the highs and lows – but mostly lows – of being young in the city ends its first season this week. We remember the cringe-worthiest moments we almost wish we didn't.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              26,
              39
            ],
            [
              143,
              158
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "2012 August 25, Julie Miller, “The 25 Least Fashionable Films of All Time”, in Graydon Carter, editor, Vanity Fair, New York, N.Y.: Condé Nast, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 26 Jan 2015:",
          "text": "When most people think of cringe-worthy disco-era fashion, John Travolta’s breakout feature, Saturday Night Fever, comes to mind. But for even cringe-worthier disco styles, seek out Saturday Night Fever’s 1983 Sylvester Stallone–directed sequel, Staying Alive. In the follow-up, Travolta’s lovable, if cocky, dancer Tony Manero downgrades from his white disco suit to Grecian-style dancing briefs, cloth knee-high dancing boots, and enough body oil to warrant a “special thanks” in the credits.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              114,
              128
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "2014 November 18, Gail Sullivan, “Oxford Dictionaries’ word of the year is ‘vape’”, in The Washington Post, Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 18 Dec 2014:",
          "text": "The last word on words has spoken. Oxford Dictionaries chose \"vape\" as the word of the year. It was selected over cringeworthier choices such as \"slacktivism\" or \"bae\" – the latter a term of endearment that was a top contender for censorship in Time magazine's \"Which Word Should Be Banned in 2015?\" poll.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              209,
              224
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "2017 February 5, Maura Judkis, Bethonie Butler, “The five worst Super Bowl commercials”, in The Washington Post, Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 06 Feb 2017:",
          "text": "These ads aren't as bad as some of the worst ads from previous years – let us not forget the gross GoDaddy commercials, or the Nationwide \"Dead Kid\" commercial of Super Bowls past – but they’re definitely the cringeworthiest of an already forgettable crop.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              124,
              140
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "2018 November 15, Jessica Rach, “‘I told Daniel Radcliffe he looked like a wizard’: Twitter users share their most hilariously embarrassing celebrity encounters – including mistaking Ed Sheeran for a waiter”, in Daily Mail, London: DMG Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 03 Jun 2019:",
          "text": "After asking followers for their own embarrassing experiences, the topic quickly went viral, with other fans tweeting their cringe-worthiest moments.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              122,
              134
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "2022 May 4, Stefanie Foster, “Great British Rail Sale Failed!”, in Rail, number 956, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire: Bauer Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 3:",
          "text": "It also presented a golden opportunity for Transport Secretary Grant Shapps to wear silly outfits and produce yet another cringeworthy video, which attracted sharp criticism online.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "That causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment (often vicarious embarrassment), etc.; awkward, disgusting, embarrassing."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "causes",
          "cause#Verb"
        ],
        [
          "cringe",
          "cringe#Verb"
        ],
        [
          "disgust",
          "disgust#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "embarrassment",
          "embarrassment"
        ],
        [
          "vicarious embarrassment",
          "vicarious embarrassment"
        ],
        [
          "awkward",
          "awkward"
        ],
        [
          "disgusting",
          "disgusting#Adjective"
        ],
        [
          "embarrassing",
          "embarrassing#Adjective"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(informal) That causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment (often vicarious embarrassment), etc.; awkward, disgusting, embarrassing."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "cringe"
        },
        {
          "word": "cringey"
        },
        {
          "word": "squirmworthy"
        },
        {
          "word": "winceworthy"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal"
      ],
      "wikipedia": [
        "The Bash Street Kids",
        "The Beano"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkɹɪnd͡ʒˌwɜːði/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkɹɪnd͡ʒˌwəːðɪj/",
      "tags": [
        "British",
        "Southern",
        "Standard"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-cringeworthy.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/0c/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-cringeworthy.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-cringeworthy.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/0c/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-cringeworthy.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-cringeworthy.wav.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Southern-England"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkɾɪnd͡ʒˌweːði/",
      "note": "Liverpool, fair–fur merger"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkɹɪnd͡ʒˌweːði/",
      "note": "Humberside, Teesside, fair–fur merger"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkɹɪnd͡ʒˌwɜːvi/",
      "note": "England, th-fronting"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkɾɪnd͡ʒˌwʌɾðe/",
      "tags": [
        "Scotland"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/-ðɪ/",
      "tags": [
        "Scotland"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/-ði/",
      "tags": [
        "Scotland"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkɾɪnd͡ʒˌwøːði/",
      "tags": [
        "Wales"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkɹɪnd͡ʒˌwɝði/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Naomi Persephone Amethyst (NaomiAmethyst)-cringeworthy.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/fe/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Naomi_Persephone_Amethyst_%28NaomiAmethyst%29-cringeworthy.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Naomi_Persephone_Amethyst_%28NaomiAmethyst%29-cringeworthy.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/fe/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Naomi_Persephone_Amethyst_%28NaomiAmethyst%29-cringeworthy.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Naomi_Persephone_Amethyst_%28NaomiAmethyst%29-cringeworthy.wav.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkɹɪnd͡ʒˌwɜːði/",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkɹənd͡ʒˌwøːði/",
      "tags": [
        "New-Zealand"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "hy",
      "lang": "Armenian",
      "lang_code": "hy",
      "roman": "kʻinǰ",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "tags": [
        "slang"
      ],
      "word": "քինջ"
    },
    {
      "code": "az",
      "lang": "Azerbaijani",
      "lang_code": "az",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "əttökən"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "lang_code": "bg",
      "roman": "krindž",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "криндж"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "lang_code": "cmn",
      "roman": "lìngrén gāngà de",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "令人尷尬的 /令人尴尬的"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "lang_code": "cs",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "hrozně nepříjemný"
    },
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "lang_code": "da",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "tåkrummende"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "lang_code": "nl",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "tenenkrommend"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "lang_code": "nl",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "tenenkrullend"
    },
    {
      "code": "eo",
      "lang": "Esperanto",
      "lang_code": "eo",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "hontiga"
    },
    {
      "code": "eo",
      "lang": "Esperanto",
      "lang_code": "eo",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "hontinda"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "lang_code": "fi",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "kiusaannuttava"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "lang_code": "fi",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "myötähäpeää aiheuttava"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "lang_code": "fi",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "nolo"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "lang_code": "fr",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "embarrassant"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "lang_code": "fr",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "malaisant"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "blamabel"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "beschämend"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "erschütternd"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "peinlich"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "unangenehm"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "zum Fremdschämen"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "zum In-den-Boden-Versinken"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "lang_code": "hu",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "ciki"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "lang_code": "hu",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "kínos"
    },
    {
      "code": "is",
      "lang": "Icelandic",
      "lang_code": "is",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "kjánahrollur"
    },
    {
      "code": "is",
      "lang": "Icelandic",
      "lang_code": "is",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "pínlegur"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "lang_code": "it",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "imbarazzante"
    },
    {
      "alt": "いたい",
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "lang_code": "ja",
      "roman": "itai",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "tags": [
        "slang"
      ],
      "word": "痛い"
    },
    {
      "code": "ko",
      "lang": "Korean",
      "lang_code": "ko",
      "roman": "ogeurogeul",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "오글오글"
    },
    {
      "code": "nb",
      "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
      "lang_code": "nb",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "cringe"
    },
    {
      "code": "nb",
      "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
      "lang_code": "nb",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "pinlig"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "lang_code": "pl",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "cringe'owy"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "lang_code": "pl",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "zawstydzający"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "lang_code": "pl",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "żenujący"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "lang_code": "ru",
      "roman": "strjómnyj",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "стрёмный"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "lang_code": "es",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "que da alipori/grima"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "lang_code": "es",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "de alipori/grima"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "lang_code": "es",
      "sense": "that causes or may cause one to cringe with disgust, embarrassment, etc.",
      "word": "para morir(se) de vergüenza"
    }
  ],
  "word": "cringeworthy"
}

Download raw JSONL data for cringeworthy meaning in English (15.7kB)

{
  "called_from": "page/2530",
  "msg": "skipping string in the middle of translations: </table></div></div>\n\n",
  "path": [
    "cringeworthy"
  ],
  "section": "English",
  "subsection": "adjective",
  "title": "cringeworthy",
  "trace": ""
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-09-06 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-09-02 using wiktextract (ccec6f1 and 4deed51). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.