Cringe
what it means
Cringe is about secondhand embarrassment, not badness. The tension is that it punishes sincerity, which is why "cringe is dead" became a counter-movement.
Embarrassing to witness — usually because someone is trying sincerely and failing.
the origin story
Long-standing English word, turned into internet-specific vocabulary through Reddit's r/cringe and similar communities in the early 2010s.
A whole content genre was built on collecting other people's earnest failures, and the backlash was substantial — "let people enjoy things" and "cringe is dead, be earnest" emerged in direct opposition. "Based" is often positioned as its opposite.
in the wild
He's doing a rap about the company values.
Deeply cringe.
Isn't it a bit cringe to be that into it?
Cringe is dead. Let people love things.
how to use it
- Reacting to genuinely awkward content
- Discussing internet culture and sincerity
- Self-deprecating about your own past
- About people trying something new and being bad at it
- As a way to police enthusiasm
- About children or amateurs
related terms
receipts
Community feedback
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Cheat Code
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