Retched is the past tense of the verb 'retch,' which refers to the act of making a sound or movement as if to vomit, typically involving a heaving of the stomach without expelling any material. It often conveys a sense of nausea, discomfort, or extreme revulsion, whether due to an unpleasant sight, smell, or thought. It can also indicate a physical reaction in response to harsh emotions or sickening stimuli.
Retched meaning with examples
- As she stood over the sink, the smell of the spoiled food made her retched instinctively, the heaving motion reminding her of last week's food poisoning incident that had left her feeling miserable for days.
- In the haunted house, the flickering lights and gruesome decorations caused many attendees to retch, the sound echoing through the corridors as their stomachs reacted to the staged horror.
- When he watched the documentary about pollution in the ocean, he couldn’t help but retch at the sight of sea creatures entangled in plastic, a painful reminder of humanity's negligence toward the environment.
- At the sight of the gruesome accident on the highway, the EMT felt the familiar wave of nausea and retched, the combination of stress and the tragic scene overwhelming his senses momentarily.
- During the horror movie, just as the plot thickened and the suspense peaked, several viewers in the audience retched at the grotesque imagery on the screen, proving that not all can handle the fright.