Meaning & use
recoil
Last updated
To jerk or spring back suddenly, especially in fear, disgust, or as a reaction to force.
See it in a sentence
She recoiled in horror when she saw the spider on her pillow.
The rifle recoiled sharply against his shoulder when he fired it.
A note on using this word
Recoil describes both a physical reaction, such as a gun recoiling, and an emotional one, such as recoiling from something upsetting; it also works as a noun.
Words with a similar meaning
flinchrebound
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
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