The next time you need to say somethings embarrassing or awkward, why not try the word cringe-worthy instead? As defined by an Urban Dictionary user, cringe culture is: making fun of people and/or insulting them by calling them cringey or cringe for doing something which doesnt harm or somehow insult anyone nor anything. This internet subcultures origins can be traced back to subreddits like r/cringe or r/cringepics, where people would share other peoples cringy content to make fun of it en masse. In this case, it also sets the stage for self-acceptance in a way that "basic" didn't. Laughing at others has always been a source of humor for people. Thankfully, I would say that cringe culture is on the decline. The term is similar to more familiar descriptors like "basic" or "local. Can anyone explain to me the difference between these two words? That makes it the perfect kind of vague signifier, easily applied in a variety of very familiar contexts that resonate both with millennials and zoomers (members of Gen Z). Those signs with platitudes about home and family written in flowing script? "The Masked Singer" on Fox? All the same, the spelling cringey is the one most commonly included in dictionaries as the head word (or main spelling), with cringy delegated to an alternate spelling. 2,184 votes Is this important? The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? Lets turn murk into murky! Avni Shridhar Things get complicated when the word ends in an e, though. The rise of cringey corresponds with a rise in the use of -y to form new adjectives in the early 21st century such as this definition is very dictionary-y. Instead, they are descriptive tools. I was like, 'Yas queen,' because lets be honest she killed it. This is not meant to be a formal definition of cringey like most terms we define on Dictionary.com, but is The Urban Dictionary definition of yas queen, pronounced YAAA-SSS-SSS kwEEn, is "a phrase used to express enthusiastic support, excitement, or congratulations for someone you love.". It's somewhat hard to pin down, but as the Times' Taylor Lorenz wrote, you "know it when you see it.". Looking back, I realize that I was contributing to a toxic mentality simply by sharing her content. It only serves to compound the de-empathizing effect of social media; we rationalize treating other humans as objects of entertainment instead of people. There is no right or wrong spelling of the phrase. Yas queen! Column: It's time to ditch cringe culture | The Ithacan Please consult your doctor before taking any action. That means that if you are used to cringy and think cringey looks really strange, you can suit yourself and keep using it. Cheuginess is subjective and open to interpretation. Cringey refers to someone or something that causes you to feel awkward, uncomfortable, or embarrassedthat makes you cringe. Unexpected uint64 behaviour 0xFFFF'FFFF'FFFF'FFFF - 1 = 0? on October 25, 2019 in It could also mean to feel awkward or embarrassed or to act in an extraordinarily servile and humble manner. This is simply due to the way the search algorithm works.