MEANING
to make a quick involuntary movement in reaction to pain, fear, or a sudden threat
Use it for
Words that belong together
- flinch at a sound
- flinch from a blow
- without flinching
On the page
She flinched when the door slammed.
He did not flinch from the approaching needle.
The child flinched as a shadow crossed the wall.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- flinch / flinches
- Past tense
- flinched
- Past participle
- flinched
- Present participle
- flinching
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- flinch / flinches
- Present continuous
- am/is/are flinching
- Present perfect
- have/has flinched
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been flinching
- Past
- flinched
- Past continuous
- was/were flinching
- Past perfect
- had flinched
- Past perfect continuous
- had been flinching
- Future
- will flinch / flinches
- Future continuous
- will be flinching
- Future perfect
- will have flinched
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been flinching
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
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Usage notes
Primary curation section: Fear. Also means recoil or hesitate in facing something unpleasant. A flinch is brief; trembling is a continuing reaction. flinch; flinches; flinched; flinched; flinching.
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