recoil

"Some remain in right-handed coils, but some recoil to the left side," Weber says.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 1, 2026

He smiled after I busted him for looking, which made me recoil in horror and quickly dart over to hide in the pet food aisle.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

Howitzers are put together from metal subsystems, such as the barrel, the breech mechanism the shell is loaded into and hydraulics that reduce recoil when artillery fires.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026

Even in a deeply polarized time, many Americans remain wired to recoil from acts of violence and to feel sympathy for their victims.

From Slate ● Apr. 26, 2026

Unfortunately, the recoil knocked the easel sideways and sent more projectiles shooting all over the room.

From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan

Having fashioned a creature from dead body parts, the scientist recoils from the result, which appears to him to be a monster of “unparalleled barbarity,” and abandons his construction.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 16, 2026

He practices a politics of inspiration, and the Surge recoils at politicians who try to inspire us.

From Slate ● Apr. 5, 2025

Viewers raved over Beharie's work in "White Noise," which is certainly excellent, especially in the scene where she simply recoils, wordless, as she takes in the vile digs anonymous commenters get in at her expense.

From Salon ● Sep. 24, 2023

Then, he recoils in disgust, a flyout that could have helped the Cubs reach the World Series infamously bouncing off the arms of Steve Bartman instead.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 24, 2023

When she sees his number appear, she recoils, as if she’s just seen a poisonous creature.

From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti

But other voters simply recoiled at having to select a candidate they viewed as entirely unqualified.

From Slate ● Aug. 26, 2026

I’ve always recoiled at having dinner on a first date.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 23, 2026

The Hungarian photographer recoiled at the work of American photographers such as Ansel Adams, whose “cult of technical perfection,” according to Patricia Albers, risked “killing their subjects with irrelevant detail.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 20, 2026

By that point, Layan had forgotten her completely, Omama says, and recoiled when they met.

From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2025

Grover played a frantic, horrible tune, and the lion turned toward him, but Thalia stepped into its path, holding up Aegis, and the lion recoiled.

From "The Titan's Curse" by Rick Riordan

But he proves a skilled physical comic, tussling with his boots or recoiling from a kick in the shins from Lucky.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2025

We’ll see if voters can reward this one while recoiling.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2025

De Guzman, who also curated an art show called “Roots of Cool” about trees, noted that Los Angeles seems to actually shrink during the hotter months, as if recoiling from the sun.

From Slate ● Jul. 23, 2025

What I'm suggesting is that our mass recoiling at Sara Ramirez's Che Diaz on "And Just Like That…" may be misdirected.

From Salon ● Jul. 9, 2023

I reached to steady him but he jerked away, violently recoiling from my touch.

From "Salt to the Sea" by Ruta Sepetys