flinch
To make a small, sudden movement because of pain, fear or surprise.
flinch in a sentence
- Ben tried not to flinch as the nurse cleaned the graze on his knee.
- Maya did not flinch when the balloon popped right beside her ear.
Words that mean something similar
jump, jerk, shrink
Careful: flinch is not cringe
A flinch is a quick jerk, over in a moment. A cringe is a squirm that lingers, usually from embarrassment. Read why children mix them up.
More words about movement & action
- forage: To search for food in the wild.
- frolic: To play and jump about happily.
- fumble: To handle something clumsily or keep dropping it.
- gingerly: Very carefully and gently, so that nothing goes wrong.
- glide: To move smoothly and quietly, without any effort.
- grapple: To wrestle or struggle with something difficult.
- gruelling: So hard and tiring that it completely wears you out.
- hamper: To make it hard for someone to do something.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test