Cringeworthy

Cringeworthy refers to anything upsetting and worthy of an actual cringing facial expression. For example, your crush rejecting your advances in front of your peers or your sad and unsuccessful attempt at making dinner are both cringeworthy.

While "cringeworthy" has been in use for many years, it was not widely used until 2018. Most people that utilize the term are teenage or young adult females that are super judgmental. They may say it aloud, but they typically send it on social media or texts when describing something gross, awkward, or unsettling.

Teenagers and young adults may also abbreviate "cringeworthy" as "cringe." They typically use it in the same way as cringeworthy but also use it to communicate disagreement. For example, a mom may pick out a dress for her teenage daughter, but her daughter might reply with "Cringe" if she doesn't like it.