cringe-inducingadj.
/ˈkrɪn(d)ʒɪnˌdjuːsɪŋ/, /ˈkrɪn(d)ʒɪnˌdʒuːsɪŋ/, U.S. /ˈkrɪndʒənˌd(j)usɪŋ/, /ˈkrɪndʒɪnˌd(j)usɪŋ/ colloquial.
= cringeworthy adj.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > humility > feeling of shame > [adjective] > embarrassed > embarrassing
abashing1530
embarrassing1778
hot-making1931
cringy1967
cringe-making1969
cringe-inducing1972
toe-curling1976
cringeworthy1977
cringe2001
1972 Washington Post 24 May c1/1 Grier recalled his cringe-inducing first film, ‘Desperate Mission’.
1980 N. Weisstein in C. S. Harris Visual Coding & Adaptability 365 Putting the concept of synthesis in the old cringe-inducing terms, the ‘general’ Fourier synthesis theorem says that any function can be represented over some interval as the sum of a set of other functions.
1995 Scotsman 21 Oct. (Weekend section) 12 (heading) Its [sc. tartan's] lack of support at home may be due to the enduring and cringe-inducing shortbread-tin image.
2004 New Yorker 12 Apr. 23 In this remake of Romero's zombiefest, the director Zack Snyder brings back the cringe-inducing gore of yore.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, March 2012; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1972