Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense winces, present participle wincing, past tense, past participle winced
verb
If you wince, the muscles of your face tighten suddenly because you have felt a pain or because you have just seen, heard, or remembered something unpleasant.
Every time he put any weight on his left leg, he winced in pain. [VERB]
He winced at the thought of dining with Camilla. [VERB]
'Shh!' Sunny winced. [VERB with quote]
Wince is also a noun.
He suppressed a wince as motion renewed the pain.
More Synonyms of wince
wince in British English1
(wɪns)
verb
1. (intransitive)
to start slightly, as with sudden pain; flinch
noun
2.
the act of wincing
Derived forms
wincer (ˈwincer)
noun
Word origin
C18 (earlier (C13) meaning: to kick): via Old French wencier, guenchir to avoid, from Germanic; compare Old Saxon wenkian, Old High German wenken
wince in British English2
(wɪns)
noun
a roller for transferring pieces of cloth between dyeing vats
Word origin
C17: variant of winch
wince in American English1
(wɪns)
verb intransitiveWord forms: winced or ˈwincing
1.
to shrink or draw back slightly, usually with a grimace, as in pain, embarrassment, alarm, etc.
noun
2.
the act or an instance of wincing
Derived forms
wincer (ˈwincer)
noun
Word origin
ME wynsen < Anglo-Fr var. of OFr guenchir < Frank *wenkjan, akin to OHG wankon, to totter, turn: for IE base see winch
wince in American English2
(wɪns)
noun
a roller used between dyeing vats to facilitate the transfer of pieces of cloth
Word origin
var. of winch
Examples of 'wince' in a sentence
wince
The defender still winces at the thought of what might have been.
The Sun (2017)
Today he winces, only slightly, at the mention of the incident.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
All are so convincingly staged here that you almost wince with pain.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Would it make him wince to hear it now?
The Sun (2008)
People wince at the thought of intervention.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Last week she winced at the memory.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The absurdity of the image still makes him wince.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The price of gas will make us wince.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
And the one that still makes you wince today?
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Our rugby has become so attritional it regularly makes you wince just watching it.
The Sun (2015)
Just the sight of some of the old dental tools is enough to make you wince.
The Sun (2015)
The patient is wincing in pain.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
You may wince, but something about the process feels profoundly right.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Investors may wince at such an idea, though.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Manufacturers are already wincing in pain over increases in wheat, butter and cheese.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
I still wince at the thought of it.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
More than a year on, the impulse is still to wince as he tries to flex the leg.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
But gadget geeks may find it all too frivolous and comedy fans may wince at their favourites' talking head ramblings.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
He winced at the pain.
Iain Gale Man of Honour (2007)
WHEN was the last time you winced at a tradesman's price list?
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The Lowestoft boxer winced with pain from the first left to the body but did not appear to be in serious trouble from either attack.
The Sun (2012)
My score was 259 of these little patches: the doctor winced slightly.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
He may find it exciting or he may wince, but it's your body and your choice.
The Sun (2010)
Each time a punch landed, I winced.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
You might wince at the thought of the hard, narrow saddles used by serious cyclists, but skinny saddles are better for your body.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
B By punching the air before jogging back to your own half, rubbing your lower back and wincing slightly.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
I winced slightly when I saw the price.
The Sun (2016)
In other languages
wince
British English: wince VERB
If you wince, the muscles of your face tighten suddenly because you have felt a pain or because you have just seen, heard, or remembered something unpleasant.
Every time he put any weight on his left leg he winced in pain.
American English: wince
Brazilian Portuguese: encolher-se
Chinese: > 龇牙咧嘴由于疼痛或看见、听到或记起某些不愉快的事而
European Spanish: encogerse
French: grimacer
German: zusammenzucken
Italian: fare una smorfia
Japanese: しかめる
Korean: 얼굴을 찡그리다
European Portuguese: encolher-se
Latin American Spanish: encogerse
Chinese translation of 'wince'
wince
(wɪns)
vi
咧嘴 (liězuǐ)
n(c)
咧嘴 (liězuǐ)
(verb)
Definition
to draw back slightly, as if in sudden pain
She winced at the thought of getting her tooth removed.
Synonyms
flinch
The slightest pressure made her flinch.
start
Rachel started at his touch.
shrink
cringe
I cringed in horror.
quail
The very word makes many of us quail.
recoil
People used to recoil from the idea of getting into debt.
cower
The hostages cowered in their seats.
draw back
I drew back with a horrified scream.
blench
(noun)
Definition
the act of wincing
She gave a wince at the memory of her first attempt at skiing.
Synonyms
flinch
start
cringe
Additional synonyms
in the sense of blench
Definition
to shy away, as in fear
Synonyms
recoil,
start,
shy,
shrink,
hesitate,
quake,
shudder,
falter,
wince,
quiver,
cringe,
flinch,
quail,
cower
in the sense of cower
Definition
to cringe or shrink in fear
The hostages cowered in their seats.
Synonyms
cringe,
shrink,
tremble,
crouch,
flinch,
quail,
draw back,
grovel
in the sense of cringe
Definition
to shrink or flinch in fear
I cringed in horror.
Synonyms
shrink,
flinch,
quail,
recoil,
start,
shy,
tremble,
quiver,
cower,
draw back,
blench
Nearby words of
wince
win
win someone over or round
win through
wince
wind
wind down
wind someone up
Synonyms of 'wince'
wince
Explore 'wince' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of draw back
Definition
to move backwards
I drew back with a horrified scream.
Synonyms
recoil,
withdraw,
retreat,
shrink,
falter,
back off,
shy away,
flinch,
retract,
quail,
start back
in the sense of quail
Definition
to shrink back with fear
The very word makes many of us quail.
Synonyms
shrink,
cringe,
flinch,
shake,
faint,
tremble,
quake,
shudder,
falter,
droop,
blanch,
recoil,
cower,
blench,
have cold feet (informal)
in the sense of recoil
Definition
to draw back in fear or horror
People used to recoil from the idea of getting into debt.
Synonyms
draw back,
shrink,
falter,
shy away,
flinch,
quail,
balk at
in the sense of start
Definition
to make a sudden involuntary movement from fright or surprise