1. moved back suddenly in fear or pain; flinched
Usage: past tense of ‘blench’

Examples

• She blenched when the doctor mentioned surgery.
• The soldier blenched at the sound of gunfire.
• He blenched visibly when confronted with the evidence.
• The child blenched and hid behind her mother.
• Even the experienced climber blenched at the steep cliff face.
• The witness blenched under the lawyer’s harsh questioning.