Cringe

Definition:

Describes something that someone posts / does / says that causes a feeling of second-hand embarrassment to observers

Context:

Unlike the traditional verb meaning “to recoil in distaste,” the slang use of “cringe” (or sometimes "cringey") is a shortened version of the adjective "cringeworthy" — related to the physical cringing facial expression people make when witnessing something embarrassing or uncomfortable. The term spread quickly on social media in the late 2010s as a comical (or sometimes serious) way to express distaste or social disapproval.

The phrase has spawned related memes like "Dies From Cringe," featuring images of characters dramatically collapsing after witnessing something extremely embarrassing. Interestingly, the term has developed some ironic usage as well where people might deliberately label something "cringe" to mock the very concept of social judgment, creating a meta-commentary on internet culture itself.

Example:

^{(all names & events in the
following scenario have been made
up)}

Esthur: “Mom, don't post that dog meme on Facebook — that's so cringe!”

Mom: “...too late ☺️”