What Does the 😬 Cringe Emoji Mean?

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Everything you need to know about the grimace emoji

Co-authored by Aly Rusciano Reviewed by Candace Gasper

Last Updated: August 6, 2024 Fact Checked

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• 😬 Cringe Emoji Meaning
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• How to Use the 😬 Cringe Emoji
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• Related Emojis

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You’re chatting with a pal on Discord or via text when they suddenly send you a 😬 cringe emoji (officially called the grimacing face emoji)—what does it mean? A 😬 cringe emoji is a sign of awkwardness or embarrassment. Think of this emoji as a way of physically cringing through text messages. Read on to learn how you can use this emoji (and others) in tense situations.

😬 Cringe Emoji Definition

The 😬 cringe (or grimacing face) emoji represents feelings of awkwardness, embarrassment, and tension. If a situation is high-strung or extremely uncomfortable, someone might use this emoji as a way of saying “Yikes" or "This is awkward." The Unicode for the 😬 grimacing emoji is U+1F62C.

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Section 1 of 3:

😬 Cringe Emoji Meaning

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   The 😬 cringe emoji often represents awkwardness. Also known as the grimacing face emoji, a 😬 is a subtle way to say, “Eek!” or “Yikes.” The emoji is most commonly used on Discord or while texting to acknowledge something uncomfortable or awkward.

   • “I asked for his phone number, and he laughed in my face 😬🫠”
   • “When the barista says to enjoy your drink and you say you too 😬”
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   The 😬 cringe emoji also conveys embarrassment. If someone feels like they want to hide and never come out, they’ll likely use this emoji. With its barred teeth, a 😬 emoji can be a visual depiction of someone grinding their teeth with shame or guilt.

   • “Dude, that’s brutal! She really said that? 😬”
   • “Soooooo I may have gone a little wild at the mall 😬😅”
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   The 😬 cringe emoji also represents nervousness. This emoji can also be used to say, “I’m so nervous.” The tense expression of the emoticon conveys anxious, tense, or skittish energy.

   • “Kinda worried about this test 😬”
   • “My dad just texted me 😬 This can’t be good.”
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   On Snapchat, a 😬 cringe emoji means you share a mutual best friend. If this emoticon appears next to a friend’s name on Snapchat, you have the same bestie. You send the most Snaps to the same person—you have the same #1 Best Friend.

   • This emoticon or status will appear next to a name on your friends list even if you don’t Snapchat with them often.
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Section 2 of 3:

How to Use the 😬 Cringe Emoji

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1. 
   Send a 😬 cringe emoji when you feel awkward or tense. The best way to use the cringe face emoji is to slap it onto the end of a message that conveys nerves or shame. This lets the receiver know you’re worried, tense, embarrassed, or awkward.

   • “My dad still doesn’t know I have a dog…😬”
   • “Hahaha this exam is going to be the death of me 😬😅”
   • “Dating? Yeah, that’s been going well 😬🫠”

Section 3 of 3:

Related Emojis

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   🫠 (Melting Face) Emoji A melting face emoji conveys feelings of shame, embarrassment, and dread. More often than not, someone will send a 🫠 (melting face) emoji if they feel overwhelmed or at a loss.

   • “I may have accidentally stayed up until 3 AM watching Gossip Girl 🫠”
   • “The worst feeling? Driving to your favorite shopping center only to realize you left your wallet at home 🫠”
   • “Everything’s fine. It’s totally FINE 🫠😭”
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   😵 (Face with Crossed-Out Eyes) Emoji The face with crossed-out eyes emoji depicts shock, surprise, and disbelief. The 😵 (face with crossed-out eyes) emoji is most often used to say, “No way!” or “I can’t believe it!”

   • “He did what?!? 😵💀”
   • “Yeah, that’s not happening 😵”
   • “You passed the test?? 😵🥳”
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   😒 (Unamused Face) Emoji The unamused face emoji is a sign of irritation or grumpiness. When someone uses a 😒 (unamused face) emoji, they’re not pleased and are giving you (or the person they’re talking about) the side-eye in the virtual world.

   • “Seriously? You really think it’s a good idea to text me 😒”
   • “Right?! The nerve she had asking me that 😒 smh”
   • “😒😒😒 grrrr he makes me so mad 😡😡😡”
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   🥶 (Cold Face) Emoji The cold face emoji conveys displeasure or unfriendliness. Basically, if someone sends a 🥶 (cold face) emoji, they’re saying something or someone is cold or needs to “chill.”

   • “Can you turn the heat up? My goodness! 🥶🥶”
   • “Wait…he actually said that? 🥶”
   • “Yikes! I’m glad I didn’t have to deal with that 🥶”
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