blench
1 of 2verb (1)
intransitive verb
blench
2 of 2verb (2)
Did you know?
If a stranger approaches you in a dark alley, it might cause you to blench. Do you flinch or turn white? Actually, you could do both, and both would be considered blenching because there are two separate verbs spelled "blench" in English. The blench that means "to flinch" derives from blencan, an Old English word meaning "to deceive." The blench meaning "to turn white" is an alteration of blanch, from the French adjective blanc ("white"). Clues to which meaning is intended can often be found in context. The "flinch" use, for example, is strictly intransitive and often followed by from or at ("blenched from the sight of blood"; "didn’t blench at the sound of thunder"). The "whiten" use, meanwhile, can be intransitive ("his skin blenched with terror") or transitive ("the cold blenched her lips").
Synonyms
Verb (1)
- cringe
- flinch
- quail
- recoil
- shrink
- squinch
- wince
Verb (2)
- blanch
- bleach
- decolorize
- dull
- fade
- pale
- snow
- wash out
- whiten
Example Sentences
The Economist, 27 Mar. 2018 Word History
Verb (1)
Middle English, to deceive, blench, from Old English blencan to deceive; akin to Old Norse blekkja to impose on
Verb (2)
alteration of blanch
Verb (1)
13th century, in the meaning defined above
Verb (2)
1797, in the meaning defined above
blench 1 of 2
verb (1)
Synonyms & Similar Words
- flinch
- recoil
- wince
- cringe
- shudder
- tremble
- quail
- shrink
- hesitate
- blanch
- pale
- shake
- squinch
- crouch
- quiver
- whiten
- withdraw
- retreat
- twitch
- quake
- waver
- recede
- jerk
- falter
- reel
- retire
- start
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- approach
- advance
- face
- confront
- beard
- defy
- challenge
- near
blench
2 of 2verb (2)
Synonyms & Similar Words
- bleach
- fade
- blanch
- pale
- decolorize
- brighten
- whiten
- dull
- snow
- wash out
- dim
- lighten
- etiolate
- frost
- matte
- silver
- whitewash
- mat
- matt
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- deepen
- darken
- blacken
- daub
- streak
- embrown
- shade
- pattern
- blotch
- striate
- marble
- discolor
- tarnish
- dye
- stain
- variegate
- speck
- spot
- tint
- speckle
- pigment
- paint
- stripe
- mottle
- tincture
- fleck
- tinge
- burnish
- polychrome
- color
- dapple
- shine
- polish
- splotch
- checker
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of blench are flinch, quail, recoil, shrink, and wince. While all these words mean "to draw back in fear or distaste," blench implies fainthearted flinching.
Although the words flinch and blench have much in common, flinch implies a failure to endure pain or face something dangerous or frightening with resolution.
While in some cases nearly identical to blench, quail suggests shrinking and cowering in fear.
The words recoil and blench are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, recoil implies a start or movement away through shock, fear, or disgust.
The synonyms shrink and blench are sometimes interchangeable, but shrink suggests an instinctive recoil through sensitiveness, scrupulousness, or cowardice.
The meanings of wince and blench largely overlap; however, wince suggests a slight involuntary physical reaction (such as a start or recoiling).