the.com/awkward
The full-body cringe of two people both saying goodbye, then walking the same direction.
means Causing or feeling embarrassment, social discomfort, or clumsy unease in a given moment or situation.
from From Old Norse afugr, meaning turned the wrong way, plus the suffix -ward — literally facing backward, which is exactly how it feels.
Original senseOnce meant physically clumsy, not socially painful.
Wrong directionThe Norse root afugr literally means turned around.
Silence mathFour seconds of pause registers as social danger.