How to Make Someone Cringe

Co-authored by Eric McClure

Last Updated: July 30, 2022 References

Cringe is that unique, shrinking feeling you get whenever you encounter something embarrassing or awkward. If you’re looking to mess with your friend or get revenge on a classmate by making them cringe, we’ve got you covered. For a comprehensive list of creative ways to make someone cringe, scroll down!

1

Say something cringe-inducing.

There are plenty of phrases you can use to get people to wince. Ever hear a word or phrase that made your spine shiver with bad vibes? If you’ve got a sharp tongue, find some cringey things to say and raise the hair on the back of your audience’s neck.^{[1]
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Research source} You might say:
- “Can you imagine what it would feel like if your teeth dragged against concrete?”
- “I wonder what it feels like to have centipedes crawl in your nose.”
- “Moist.” The word “moist” is a notorious creator of cringe. It just brings up all kinds of icky feelings for some people.

2

Tell a terrible joke.

Bad jokes can make people shiver from secondhand embarrassment. Be super sincere and tell the joke publicly so that everyone around you can hear. By acting like you really think you’re funny and telling a genuinely terrible joke, you’ll get people shrinking out of second-hand embarrassment.^{[2]
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Research source} You could say:
- “You know what they call a can opener that doesn’t work? A can’t opener.”
- “I was going to go to the circus, but I didn’t. I heard it was too in-tents.”
- “What do you call a fake noodle? An im-pasta.”

3

Stare in an eerie way.

A funny, creepy face will make people laugh and shy away. Bug your eyes out a little bit and make a face at whomever you’re trying to make cringe. You could raise an eyebrow and lower your chin like you think they’re cute, or puff your cheeks out a bit to make a goofy face. So long as your face is silly with a dash of spooky, people will cringe.^{[3]
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- Bonus points here if you can make the face while they aren’t looking and then get them to look at you.

4

Chew with your mouth open.

The sound of food being chewed tends to induce a cringey feeling. If you’re at lunch or you’re snacking on some food, start chewing with your mouth open. If you want to be extra annoying, lean in close into someone’s ear while doing this. The sound of your teeth gnashing on something will send chills down your target’s spine.^{[4]
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- If you aren’t hungry, chew on some bubblegum!
- You can also just make any kind of sucking, popping, or sloshing sound with your mouth, if you prefer.

5

Pop bubblegum.

The popping of the bubbles will drive folks around you nuts. Use some sugar-free chewing gum to blow bubbles and pop them with your tongue. You can even blow a bubble and lean into someone’s ear and pop it inside of your mouth slowly.^{[5]
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6

Rub a balloon.

The sound of skin against the balloon will make people wince. Blow up a balloon and slowly drag your fingers against the rubber. Your fingers will catch against the balloon repeatedly and cause this squeaky, high-pitched noise. That noise is sure to get your target shudder and beg you to stop.^{[6]
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7

Pick something out of your teeth.

Even if you don’t have anything in your teeth, pick with your nail. Lean in towards your target and scratch at your teeth with your finger so that it makes noise. If someone asks you what you’re doing, explain that you’ve got something stuck on your teeth. The image of your open teeth combined with the nail dragging against the enamel should stun your audience and make them cringe.^{[7]
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- Keep the gag going by leaning into your target and asking them if they can help you find the “food” you’re trying to get at.
- If you’re feeling especially gross, pick something out of your nose instead.

8

Run your nails on a chalkboard.

Make your classmate shriek with one of the worst sounds imaginable. Curl your nails up like you’re making a claw and press your fingers into the chalkboard. Drag your nails against the chalkboard and watch your classmates reel in agony and annoyance.^{[8]
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- If you want to protect your nails, you can achieve a similar sound by dragging chalk in the opposite direction you’d use to write with it.
- If your school has whiteboards instead, try dragging a dead marker against the board over and over again.
- If you’re nowhere near a chalkboard, try dragging a knife against a ceramic plate.

9

Talk loudly on the phone about something private.

Invent an embarrassing medical issue or parental conflict. Hold your phone up to your ear and walk around your target nonchalantly as if they aren’t even there. Have a fictional conversation with your doctor about something you just got checked out, or argue with your dad to let you go to clown college. The other person will cringe hearing all about your super embarrassing issues.^{[9]
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Research source} You might say:
- “So, doctor, is it infected?...I don’t know, it still smells like ham, so…oh, yeah. Okay….but do I need to scrape the toe fungus off, first?”
- “Look, mom, I promise I’ll be back by noon, but you have to let me go to the dollhouse expo…I’ve been waiting all year…I even brought all of my dolls with me to school today!”
- “Listen, I dressed up as Santa last year. I was the Easter Bunny this year, there’s no way you’re convincing me to dress up like Cupid, dad…no…especially not with the baby bow.”

10

Get someone to relive an embarrassing memory.

Nothing makes people cringe more than their own mishaps. If you want to make a specific person cringe, remind them of something they’d probably rather forget. You might reference the time they got in trouble in class, or remind them of that time they fell over and dropped their lunch tray. Bring up whatever experience they regret and you’ll make them cringe.^{[10]
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- Just keep it casual. Say something like, “Hey Kevin, do you remember that time you asked Melissa out and she just giggled?”
- You might say, “You know what I remembered the other day? That time you slipped during the big game and gave up the ball. That was such an unfortunate event!”

11

Give a super sincere compliment.

A lot of people find public compliments cringe-inducing. This works best if there are other people around to witness the compliment and your target hates being in the spotlight. Out of nowhere, give a grandiose, sincere compliment. Lock eyes and smile. You can even hold your arms out like you want to give them a hug so the lights really stay on them.^{[11]
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Trustworthy Source
Harvard Business Review
Online and print journal covering topics related to business management practices
Go to source} You could say:
- “You know, I think it’s time we recognize just how good of a friend Kate is. She really is the most loyal, beautiful, and compassionate person. Everyone give it up for Kate!”
- “Gary, you know what…you really are the most stylish person I know. Look at those fancy socks, those beautiful cufflinks. Everyone, come look at Gary!”