winceworthy moment
- noun
- /ˈwɪnsˌwɜrði ˈmoʊmənt/
- Informal
- She accidentally called her teacher 'mom'—a classic winceworthy moment in any classroom.
Examples
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The comedian's off-color joke was definitely a winceworthy moment for the entire audience.
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The interview had more than one winceworthy moment that made viewers squirm.
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That was a real winceworthy moment during the presentation.
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Did you see that winceworthy moment in the movie?
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During the live broadcast, there was a winceworthy moment when the host forgot the guest's name.
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Many viewers found his awkward silence during the interview to be a winceworthy moment.
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The winceworthy moment came when she tripped over her own feet at the graduation ceremony.
Synonyms
202
3.1
A feeling of awkwardness or shame
19
4.1
A short time when people feel uncomfortable or embarrassed
15
8.8
An embarrassing act or remark that upsets people in social situations
8
6.5
Something that makes you feel embarrassed and uncomfortable
7
7.2
An unpleasant scene that shocks people
4
8.6
A strong feeling of shame or deep embarrassment
Antonyms
How Embarrassing
- Offensive
119
4.5
- Informal
4
7.3
- Informal
19
4.1
Surface Forms
Morphology
winceworthy + moment
Although 'winceworthy' is not listed in dictionaries, its meaning is transparently built from 'wince' (to recoil in embarrassment or pain) plus the productive suffix '-worthy' (deserving of). Together with 'moment' this clearly denotes a moment that makes you wince, a composition that follows common English adjective-formation patterns. An average B1 learner who knows the constituents would likely infer this meaning.
Etymology
Winceworthy moment brings together the small face movement wince and the short event moment: imagine someone saying something awkward and everyone makes a quick wince. So, it means 'a situation that makes a person feel embarrassed or uncomfortable'.