squinch 1 of 2

verb

ˈskwinch How to pronounce squinch (audio)
Definition of squinchnext
1
as in to crouch
to lie low with the limbs close to the body squinched down to fit under the table

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2
as in to distort
to twist (something) out of a natural or normal shape or condition squinched up her eyes in disgust

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to flinch
to draw back in fear, pain, or disgust didn't squinch a bit when the intruder pulled a knife on him

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

squinch

2 of 2

noun

as in grimace

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of squinch
Verb
Some boys and girls look directly at the camera, while others squinch up their faces. — Mary Carole McCauley, baltimoresun.com, 18 Jan. 2022 To deepen the illusion that life is just one big fashion spread, we've been trained to 1) smize, 2) duck face, 3) squinch, and now, 4) fish gape. — Chelsea Peng, Marie Claire, 1 Oct. 2015
Noun
First, atop the cube sits an octagonal structure with arched squinches angled across each corner. — Judith H. Dobrzynski, WSJ, 4 May 2018 Take Karlie Kloss for example, who at Tuesday night's Paper Towns premiere, showed off her propensity for a professional squinch. — Lauren Valenti, Marie Claire, 23 July 2015
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squinch
  1. crouch
  2. distort
  3. flinch
  4. grimace
  5. huddle
  6. curl
  7. wince
  8. frown
Verb
  • Body camera video of the July 2024 encounter showed Massey crouching in her kitchen and apologizing moments before Grayson shot her in the face.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Davis was captured on cell phone video, crouching over French’s body, hysterically telling responding cops to stay away from him.
    — Barry Williams, New York Daily News, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of crouch
Verb
  • Because of its large field of view, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will help researchers better understand dark matter by capturing how the phenomenon's gravity bends light and distorts a galaxy's shape.
    — Matthew Glasser, ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Yiannopoulos resigned from Breitbart amid the backlash and offered a rare apology but said the media distorted his comments.
    — Eduardo Cuevas, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of distort
Verb
  • The Value Of Clarity​ Clarity is the ability to answer three questions without flinching.
    — Andrew Kokes, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The brand is often compared to Dyson, a parallel Ozener doesn’t flinch at.
    — Ritu Upadhyay, Footwear News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of flinch
Noun
  • Back at the team bus, the high fives and handshakes wore grimaces.
    — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • He was knocked down by center Brayden Schenn on the final faceoff, then skated off the ice with a grimace.
    — Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 8 July 2026
Definition of grimace
Verb
  • Welding classes used to have students huddled behind a teacher who demonstrated a technique, Estrada said.
    — Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • During a brief courtroom break to address an audio issue, Lutnick huddled with DOJ lawyers.
    — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of huddle
Verb
  • Women figured prominently in many of Mansour’s works, such as the 1984 Flight to Egypt, depicting a mother curled over her sleeping baby.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 28 Aug. 2026
  • For our recipe, the Test Kitchen poached just-cooked oysters in milk until their edges began to curl.
    — Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of curl
Verb
  • Toxicologist Fernández has stayed in touch with his patient and still winces about how Mark feared reporting the crime to the police could reflect poorly on him professionally.
    — Mattha Busby, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2026
  • My husband walked into the room and winced as one of the women changed into a perfect re-creation of an American Girl–doll outfit (very theater kid, not his thing).
    — Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of wince
Noun
  • The late-night host teasingly drew his face into a frown in order to copy Washington’s facial expression.
    — Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Lee indulges that emotional ambiguity, the way the pedal steel can blur the distinction between a frown and a smile.
    — Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 20 July 2026
Definition of frown

Browse Nearby Words

squiggling
squinch
squinched
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Cite this Entry

“Squinch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squinch. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on squinch

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about squinch

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