Showing results for recoils. Search instead for recoilers.

recoils

VERB

shrink away

Synonyms

STRONGEST

backfire balk blanch blink cringe demur flinch hesitate reel shudder tremble turn away waver wince

STRONG

blench carom dodge duck falter jerk kick quail quake react rebound resile shake shirk shrink spring start stick stickle swerve withdraw

WEAK

draw back pull back shy away step back

Antonyms

STRONGEST

steady

STRONG

face meet remain stay

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

Although Watkins has been the center of attention since middle school, when Gottlieb started hearing whispers of an eighth-grade phenom on the recruiting circuit, Watkins recoils when asked about her success.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 30, 2023

Brother Khoi recoils, vowing to never eat anything with wings.

From "Inside Out and Back Again" by Thanhha Lai