The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 letter word CRINGE
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
C
R
I
N
G
E
More clues leading to the result CRINGE
- Show fear, weeping — no yen, little energy
- Sound of bell in church makes you feel embarrassed
- Grovel with item of jewellery in church
- Flinch from bells in church
- Group in church squirm
- Toady: “Credit to eccentric Nige!”
- Draw back from phone in church
- Cold enclosure for doe’s last fawn
- Sound of mobile going off in church may make one squirm
- Wince in embarrassment where church welcomes cartel
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The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does CRINGE mean?
CRINGE noun- A posture or gesture of shrinking or recoiling.
- A servile obeisance.
- A crick.
- An embarrassing event or situation which causes an onlooker to cringe.
- Someone or something that is cringy.
- To shrink, cower, tense or recoil, as in fear, disgust or embarrassment.
- To bow or crouch in servility.
- To contract; to draw together; to cause to shrink or wrinkle; to distort.