- present tense form of recoil (3rd person singular).
recoils
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Maekar recoils at the thought of a child of royal birth subsisting on salted beef.
From Salon ● Feb. 23, 2026
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
You see Oppenheimer recoil, even if what he recoils from is left pointedly out of frame.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2023
Brother Khoi recoils, vowing to never eat anything with wings.
From "Inside Out and Back Again" by Thanhha Lai
