Grimacing Face

A yellow face with clenched teeth and wide eyes, as if bracing for something awkward or uncomfortable.

The Grimacing Face emoji often conveys feelings of discomfort, cringey awkwardness, or nervousness. It’s commonly used in situations where something is embarrassing, hard to watch, or socially tense—basically any moment that makes you go "yikes."

While not inherently negative, this emoji leans into the territory of second-hand embarrassment or dread. It’s also used humorously when admitting a small mistake, expressing guilt, or anticipating a tough conversation. Its clenched teeth resemble a forced smile, which also gives it a passive-aggressive or faux-optimistic edge in some contexts.

In meme and Gen Z culture, 😬 frequently represents “social cringe,” like revisiting old photos, messaging someone too many times, or watching someone make a fool of themselves online.