flinched; flinching; flinches
: 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
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
Meanwhile, as the crowds at Quail Hollow and a CBS audience watched, Schauffele flinched.
—
Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 13 May 2024
Yet, Marriotts Ridge didn’t flinch led by senior Quinn Jenkins.
—Jacob Steinberg, Baltimore Sun, 5 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for flinch 
Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 13 May 2024
Yet, Marriotts Ridge didn’t flinch led by senior Quinn Jenkins.
—Jacob Steinberg, Baltimore Sun, 5 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for flinch
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'flinch.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Flinch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flinch. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
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