1
2
as in to distort
to twist (something) out of a natural or normal shape or condition
squinched up her eyes in disgust
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of squinch
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
Striking a more calculated pose, Kloss squinches her eyes, which aids in further carving out her high cheekbones and defining her jawline.
—Lauren Valenti, Marie Claire, 23 July 2015
Judith H. Dobrzynski, WSJ, 4 May 2018
Here, she's added parted lips, slightly sucked-in cheeks, and a subtle chin tilt on top of her master squinch.
—Chelsea Peng, Marie Claire, 1 Oct. 2015
Brick squinches, here decorated with windows and patterns mimicking those below, are not unique to the Samanid mausoleum.
—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
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
Striking a more calculated pose, Kloss squinches her eyes, which aids in further carving out her high cheekbones and defining her jawline.
—Lauren Valenti, Marie Claire, 23 July 2015
Noun
First, atop the cube sits an octagonal structure with arched squinches angled across each corner.
—Judith H. Dobrzynski, WSJ, 4 May 2018
Here, she's added parted lips, slightly sucked-in cheeks, and a subtle chin tilt on top of her master squinch.
—Chelsea Peng, Marie Claire, 1 Oct. 2015
Brick squinches, here decorated with windows and patterns mimicking those below, are not unique to the Samanid mausoleum.
—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
Verb
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Shaver crouched on her knees as the sun started to rise, carefully lifting the hatchlings out of their box and laying them on the sand facing the vast sea, guarding them from crabs and gulls, herding stray hatchlings in the right direction.—
Smithsonian Magazine,
Smithsonian Magazine,
7 Mar. 2025
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What disrupts the playful opening to what will become a quietly devastating look at PTSD, however, is a sudden cut to a girl crouching next to the body.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Only in our current cultural moment, the stakes and outcomes are distorted in ways an artist of Simone’s era could never recognize.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
1 Mar. 2025
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But that bag still has a way of distorting things for some players.—
Danny Emerman,
The Mercury News,
26 Feb. 2025
Verb
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But at that moment, looking up from the examination table at Tina, her dark hair framing her unsmiling face, Lilian neither hesitated nor flinched.—
Yiyun Li,
The New Yorker,
9 Mar. 2025
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And the white target with the red bullseye that had been on his chest, standing out against his black prison jumpsuit, disappeared instantly as Sigmon's whole body flinched.—
Jeffrey Collins,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Those could also prove useful, but will face the challenge of distinguishing facial expressions unique to pain rather than similar grimaces related to being hungry.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
3 May 2017
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In the movie, the monkey is a two-foot-tall sculpted plastic model whose arms bang up and down on a drum, as his mouth opens up to bare its teeth in a violent grimace.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
17 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The puppies, estimated to be between 12 and 14 weeks old, were seen huddled together trying to stay warm in the porch as temperatures dropped below zero degrees with wind chills.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA TODAY,
28 Feb. 2025
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With help a good 30 minutes out and Gray struggling to coordinate a water drop, Tim and Lucy huddled in the middle of the road beneath a foil fire blanket.—
Matt Webb Mitovich,
TVLine,
25 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The comedian curls the viewer into the drama of his own debasement, Limon theorized, and the relationship is christened, if the joke works, with a laughter that amalgamates the many into one.—
Lauren Michele Jackson,
The New Yorker,
27 Feb. 2025
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Her cigarettes stayed in the bathroom, smoke curling out the window and drifting over the neighbor’s fence.—
Jackie Charniga,
USA TODAY,
26 Feb. 2025
Verb
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By the end of the performance, Andress could be seen tilting her head down, wincing.—
Tomás Mier,
Rolling Stone,
5 Mar. 2025
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The rapper could be seen slapping Rhodes hard on the side of the face, and Rhodes winced as soon as he was hit.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
4 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Shuffling feet, frowns or darting eyes signal discomfort and anxiety.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes,
14 Jan. 2025
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Below are some of the stocks JPMorgan frowns on: Vaccine maker Novavax is rated underweight by JPMorgan analysts.—
Pia Singh,
CNBC,
13 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Squinch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squinch. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.
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