Etymology: Cringe, from the old English cringan, meaning “to yield” or “fall in battle.” The word evolved to mean “quake in fear” before acquiring its contemporary meaning of recoiling in embarrassment or disgust. It was generally used as a verb until the mid-2010s, when “cringe-worthy” and “cringe-inducing” went out of fashion and “cringe” became an adjective in its own right.

 Meaning: So many behaviors have been described as “cringe” recently that it can be hard to establish clear parameters for the concept. Generally, the word is applied to the vicarious awkwardness one feels when watching an action performed badly or tastelessly. Witnessing something cringe is almost a physical sensation: You wince and grimace in embarrassment for those poor souls who k...