A twinge is a sudden sharp feeling or emotion, usually an unpleasant one.
I would have twinges of guilt occasionally.
For a moment, Arnold felt a twinge of sympathy for Mr Wilson. [+ of]
Synonyms: pang, twitch, tweak, throe [rare] More Synonyms of twinge
2. countable noun
A twinge is a sudden sharp pain.
He felt a slight twinge in his damaged hamstring. [+ in]
...the occasional twinge of indigestion.
Synonyms: pain, sharp pain, gripe, stab More Synonyms of twinge
twinge in British English
(twɪndʒ)
noun
1.
a sudden brief darting or stabbing pain
2.
a sharp emotional pang
a twinge of guilt
verb
3.
to have or cause to have a twinge
4. (transitive) obsolete
to pinch; tweak
Word origin
Old English twengan to pinch; related to Old High German zwengen
twinge in American English
(twɪndʒ)
verb transitiveWord forms: twinged or ˈtwinging
1.
to cause to have a sudden, brief, darting pain or pang
verb intransitive
2.
to feel a sudden, brief, darting pain or pang
noun
3.
a sudden, brief, darting pain or pang
4.
a sudden, brief feeling of remorse, shame, etc.; qualm
Word origin
ME twengen < OE twengan, to squeeze, press, pinch; akin to MHG twengen, to pinch, squeeze (< OHG dwengen, caus. of dwingan, to constrain) & OE thwang, a thong, prob. < IE base *tuengh-, to constrain
Examples of 'twinge' in a sentence
twinge
I also feel a twinge of oldfashioned national pride.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
But not without a twinge of regret.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
She said that she felt a slight twinge in her quad so she withdrew as a precaution.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
It is impossible not to feel a faint twinge of wellbeing.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
You still get that twinge of excitement you felt when you were young.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
You have a calm understanding of love and smile at situations that in the past may have sparked a twinge of jealousy.
The Sun (2011)
The former smoker may have felt a slight twinge of nostalgia when he supported proposals to introduce plain cigarette packaging this week.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Those listening to the Harvard history don are not the only people feeling a twinge of conscience.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
In your love life, you deal with a twinge of jealousy before it causes trouble.
The Sun (2008)
WHEN was the last time you enjoyed a sandwich without a twinge of guilt?
The Sun (2014)
A twinge of regret at the passing years?
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
I feel a very slight twinge of sympathy for its owners.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
If they get a twinge, their solution is to pull up a bar stool and tell a gag.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
A twinge of conscience made me think about calling Damien.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
By the autumn of 1964, he was feeling the odd twinge in training.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Should he tune in at home, Long will surely have more than a twinge of regret.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
You might feel a twinge of jealousy at a friend's success until you see that it has a lucky spin-off for you.
The Sun (2008)
I know I feel a twinge of guilt while rushing out the grocery store and past the food drive donation box.
Christianity Today (2000)
1 (noun)
Definition
a sharp emotional pang
I would have twinges of guilt occasionally.
Synonyms
pang
pangs of hunger
twitch
He developed a nervous twitch.
tweak
a tweak on the ear
throe (rare)
twist
2 (noun)
Definition
a sudden brief darting or stabbing pain
the occasional twinge of indigestion
Synonyms
pain
I felt a sharp pain in my lower back.
sharp pain
gripe
I was immobilised with stomach gripes.
stab
a stab of pain just above his eye
bite
The boy had suffered a snake bite but he made a quick recovery.
twist
stitch
If you do get a stitch, try to run bent forward.
pinch
throb
twitch
prick
She felt a prick on the back of her neck.
spasm
tweak
tic
She developed a tic in her left eye.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of bite
Definition
a wound or sting inflicted by biting
The boy had suffered a snake bite but he made a quick recovery.
Synonyms
wound,
sting,
pinch,
nip,
prick
in the sense of gripe
Definition
a sudden intense pain in the bowels
I was immobilised with stomach gripes.
Synonyms
pain,
distress,
pinching,
ache,
aching,
cramps,
pang,
griping,
affliction,
twinge,
colic,
stomachache
in the sense of prick
Definition
a sharp emotional pain
She felt a prick on the back of her neck.
Synonyms
pang,
smart,
sting,
spasm,
gnawing,
twinge,
prickle
Nearby words of
twinge
twilight
twin
twine
twinge
twinkle
twinkling
twirl
Synonyms of 'twinge'
twinge
Explore 'twinge' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of stab
Definition
a sudden, usually unpleasant, sensation
a stab of pain just above his eye
Synonyms
twinge,
prick,
pang,
ache
in the sense of stitch
Definition
a sharp pain in the side caused by running or exercising
If you do get a stitch, try to run bent forward.
Synonyms
pain,
spasm,
pang,
twinge
in the sense of tic
Definition
a spasmodic muscular twitch
She developed a tic in her left eye.
Synonyms
twitch,
jerk,
spasm
in the sense of tweak
Definition
the act of tweaking
a tweak on the ear
Synonyms
twist,
pull,
squeeze,
pinch,
jerk,
nip,
twitch
in the sense of twitch
Definition
a sharp jerking movement, esp. one caused by a nervous condition