Cringe emoji
😬 is the face for “yikes”. Copy it here and see when 🫣 or 🙈 says the cringe better.
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What the cringe emoji means
😬 (grimacing face) shows clenched teeth in a wide, tense mouth. It is the face for yikes: an awkward moment, secondhand embarrassment, bad news delivered with a wince, “this is going to hurt”. It was added in Emoji 1.0 (2015) and is one of the most used reaction faces because so many situations are simply awkward. Snapchat also uses it as a friend emoji, meaning your best friend is also someone else’s best friend, which the Snapchat guide explains.
Its neighbours split the cringe: 🫣 (face with peeking eye) is “I can’t watch”, 🙈 the see-no-evil monkey is a playful cover-your-eyes, 😅 is the awkward laugh, and 🤢 is cringe that has tipped into disgust.
Compare the options
| Emoji | Name | Use it for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| grimacing faceU+1F62C | Yikes, awkward, wincing | Reads as nervous as often as cringe | |
| face with peeking eyeU+1FAE3 | Secondhand embarrassment, suspense | Newer (Emoji 14.0) | |
| see-no-evil monkeyU+1F648 | Playful embarrassment | See the monkey emoji guide | |
| grinning face with sweatU+1F605 | Awkward laugh | See the nervous emoji guide | |
| nauseated faceU+1F922 | Disgust | See the disgusted emoji guide |
Cringe in practice
- Reacting to a story: “he called his teacher mum 😬”
- Delivering bad news: “so… the car has a dent 😬”
- Watching a cringe video: 🫣😬
- Your own past: “found my 2013 tweets 😬”
The grimace also does duty as “sorry in advance” — “can I borrow your car again 😬” — where it admits the ask is a lot. That softening use is friendlier than the cringe reading and worth having in reserve.
Grimace face and forced smile
The grimace emoji 😬 shows a tense smile with lips stretched and teeth clenched—the kind of face you make when something is painfully awkward. It can signal pain, nervousness, or secondhand embarrassment, and often works as a wordless “yikes”.
Some viewers focus on the prominent teeth, but the expression is a forced smile, not a happy one. That clenched jaw suggests grinding your teeth through a difficult moment, which is why it feels so relatable in uncomfortable situations.
Uh oh moments and awkward smiles
😬 also works as an uh oh face when something goes wrong. Its awkward smile makes it the cringe reaction you send after a mistake—a forced smile that softens the blow, but the clenched teeth show it’s not genuine.
Use it for moments that make you go “oh geez”, or when you need an eeek face to react to a near miss. The face says “I know this is bad” without panic. It’s less shocked than 😱 and less playful than 😅. Pair it with a message like “I forgot my wallet again 😬” to admit fault with a wince.
Other names for the grimacing face
The official name for 😬 is Grimacing Face, and grimace emoji is the most direct alternative. Because the eyes stay open and the mouth is clamped shut, the expression often reads as nervous or embarrassed rather than playful, so awkward emoji is another common label. The tense, teeth-baring look is also close to a real-life grimace, which can signal pain, effort, or discomfort. In messages, people use those names interchangeably when they want a word that sums up that tight, strained feeling without sounding too formal.
Chat examples
Real messages with 😬, and a reply that fits.
I waved back at someone waving at the person behind me 😬
oh no
read my old poems 🫣
brave
😬 sent it to the wrong chat
which chat??
Questions people ask
What does 😬 mean?
Grimacing face: awkwardness, “yikes”, wincing at something uncomfortable. It can also mean nervous tension.
What does 😬 mean on Snapchat?
As a friend emoji it means your number one best friend is also that person’s number one best friend. See the Snapchat emoji meanings guide.
Which emoji means cringe?
😬 is the standard one. 🫣 adds “I can’t look” and 🙈 keeps it playful.
What does facial grimacing mean?
A facial grimace is a sharp, tense expression that often appears when someone feels discomfort or strain. The 😬 emoji takes that expression into text: the tight smile and clenched teeth read as awkwardness, secondhand embarrassment, or nervous tension.
What is the difference between the grimacing face and the anxious face with sweat?
The grimacing face 😬 shows a tight, teeth-baring smile with no sweat drop, often used for awkwardness or cringe. The anxious face with sweat 😅 adds a single sweat drop to suggest relief, nervous laughter, or a close call.
Can I use the cringe emoji in an apology?
Yes, the grimacing face can soften an apology by showing you feel awkward about the mistake. A message like “I forgot our lunch date 😬” reads as sheepish rather than dismissive.
About this guide
Written and maintained by the Emoji Directory editorial team, without ads or sponsorship. Meanings describe how the emoji is commonly used in public posts and messages, not an official definition. Names, code points, versions, keywords and translations come from the Unicode Emoji 18.0 and CLDR data; shortcodes from the gemoji project. Last reviewed . Spotted a mistake or a new usage? Tell us, or read how the directory is made.
