recoil

Meanings

• the backward jerk of a gun when it is fired
• a movement back from an impact
• draw back, as with fear or pain
• come back to the originator of an action with an undesired effect
• spring back; spring away from an impact
• spring back, as from a forceful thrust

Synonyms

backfire, backlash, bounce, bound, cringe, flinch, funk, kick, kick back, quail, rebound, repercussion, resile, reverberate, ricochet, shrink, spring, squinch, take a hop, wince