recoil

intransitive-verb
UK: /rɪˈkɔɪl/
US: /riːˈkɔɪl/

  1. To move back suddenly and quickly from something unpleasant or frightening.

    1. He saw the snake and recoiled in fear.
    2. She recoiled at the sight of the blood, turning her head away quickly as a result of the traumatic experience.

  2. To react to an idea or a situation with strong disapproval or dislike.

    1. Many people recoil at the thought of eating insects.
    2. The public recoiled in horror when they learned about the extent of the corruption within the government.

  3. When a gun recoils, it moves backwards suddenly when it is fired.

    1. The gun recoiled after he pulled the trigger.
    2. The large caliber rifle recoiled violently, bruising the shooter's shoulder despite the padding.

Synonyms

flinch shrink blench spring back kickback reaction
recoil noun

  1. The action of recoiling; a sudden backward movement.

    1. The gun's recoil bruised his shoulder.
    2. The recoil from the explosion sent debris flying across the street, causing damage to nearby buildings.

  2. A strong adverse reaction to something.

    1. There was a recoil against the new taxes.
    2. The proposed policy changes sparked a strong recoil from the community, leading to widespread protests and demonstrations.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "recoil" in English means: To move back suddenly and quickly from something unpleasant or frightening., To react to an idea or a situation with strong disapproval or dislike., When a gun recoils, it moves backwards suddenly when it is fired..

The phonetic transcription of "recoil" is /rɪˈkɔɪl/ in British English and /riːˈkɔɪl/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "recoil": flinch, shrink, blench, spring back, kickback, reaction.

Example usage of "recoil": "He saw the snake and recoiled in fear.". More examples on the page.