We’ve all been there — the cringeworthy moments when words come out wrong or when a heartfelt gesture like a hug goes unreciprocated, or a pause in a conversation lingers just long enough to become ...

The holidays offer many opportunities for awkward moments. Political discussions, of course, hold plenty of potential. But any time opinions differ, where estrangements have caused lingering rifts, or ...

Reading social interactions is far from easy, and people who misread social cues always use certain awkward phrases to cover ...

Thanksgiving is the Super Bowl of awkwardness. You love these people (mostly), but the scripts are fuzzy. Do we hug? Do we talk politics? What do I say when someone hits me with the third “so, how’s ...

Haupt is a health and wellness editor at TIME. Haupt is a health and wellness editor at TIME. Israel and Hamas agree to ‘first phase’ of peace deal, how California’s new AI law protects whistleblowers ...

Alexandra Plakias does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond ...

When something so awkward happens that you can only stare at the ground, hoping it will open up and swallow you, saving you from the cringe, the best thing you can do is...call more attention to it.