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Definition of cringey

cringey

/ˈkrɪn.dʒi/
crin · gey
Adverb:cringily
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cringey Lexical Profile

cringey Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Causing feelings of acute embarrassment, awkwardness, or secondhand discomfort.

Example

"The comedian's outdated jokes were so cringey that half the audience looked down at their phones in silence."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for cringey
Antonyms
View all antonyms for cringey

Word Nuance & Usage

Both "cringey" and "cringy" are accepted informal spellings; "cringey" is often preferred in casual writing to clearly preserve the soft "g" sound of "cringe."

• Rhymes for cringey

• Nearby Words

crimson
cringe
cringeworthy
cringey
cringing
cringy
crinkle

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Cringey. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/cringey
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