pinch
1 of 3verb
ˈpinch 
pinched; pinching; pinches
transitive verb
1
a
: to squeeze between the finger and thumb or between the jaws of an instrument
b
: to prune the tip of (a plant or shoot) usually to induce branching
c
: to squeeze or compress painfully
d
: to cause physical or mental pain to
e(1)
: to cause to appear thin, haggard, or shrunken
(2)
: to cause to shrivel or wither
2
a
: to subject to strict economy or want : straiten
b
: to restrain or limit narrowly : constrict
3
a
: steal
b
: arrest
4
: to sail too close to the wind
intransitive verb
1
: compress, squeeze
2
: to be miserly or closefisted
3
: to press painfully
4
: narrow, taper
the road pinched down to a trail
Cecelia Holland
Cecelia Hollandpinch
2 of 3noun
1
a
: a critical juncture : emergency
b(1)
: pressure, stress
(2)
: hardship, privation
c
: deficit
2
a
: an act of pinching : squeeze
b
: as much as may be taken between the finger and thumb
a pinch of snuff
c
: a very small amount
3
: a marked thinning of a vein or bed
4
a
: theft
b
: a police raid
also : arrest
pinch
3 of 3adjective
1
: substitute
pinch runner
2
: hit by a pinch hitter
a pinch homer
Synonyms
Verb
- nip
Noun
- grab
- heist
- rip-off
- snatching
- swiping
- theft
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb My little brother is always trying to pinch me. He pinched her cheeks and told her how cute she was. Pinch together the edges of the dough. He pinched the top of his nose to stop the bleeding and leaned forward. He pinched off the top of the shoots. She pinched back the new growth. These new shoes are pinching my toes. I pinched my fingers in the door. By pinching and scraping, she managed to save enough money to buy a new car. Noun the pinch of my favorite sweater really bugged me! an innocent person caught up in a city-wide pinch of drug dealers Adjective A pinch homer won the game. See More
Recent Examples on the Web Bobby Nightengale, The Enquirer, 3 July 2022 There have been moments when Moore has wanted to pinch herself. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 16 July 2022 Bryan Shaw relieved Pilkington and gave up a two-run double to pinch-hitter Seth Brown that sailed over the head of Myles Straw in center. Joe Noga, cleveland, 9 June 2022 Leading 6-2, Harris went out the to finish the game for Santana, but walked two hitters and gave up an RBI double to pinch-hitter Dominic Gross, setting the stage for Carney. John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2022 In one continuous movement starting at the inner brow, use your index finger and thumb on both hands simultaneously to gently pinch along to the brow, then using your ring finger, lightly sweep inwards under the eye to the inner corner. Felicity Carter, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2022 Inventories were low before the pandemic — estimates are Utah lacks at least 40,000 affordable dwellings or more — and those supplies have been thin enough since midsummer to pinch sales in a hot market. The Salt Lake Tribune, 19 Nov. 2021 The Mariners put Adam Frazier in to pinch run for Winker. Sarah Valenzuela, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2022 Using your moistened hands, pinch off and roll the ground meat into 8 balls (1 1/2 ounces each). Joe Yonan, Washington Post, 5 June 2022 Emily Longeretta, Variety, 7 Sep. 2022 Using a mortar and pestle, a small food processor or a blender, blend the garlic, anchovies and sugar with a pinch of salt into a paste. Kitty Greenwald, WSJ, 2 Aug. 2022 Think Belle from Beauty and the Beast, Princess Fiona (of Shrek), and/or Smurfette…with a pinch of festival fashion. Danielle Sinay, Glamour, 21 July 2022 Season with another generous pinch of salt and cook partially covered at a simmer until the corn is tender and the cooking liquid has reduced and thickened slightly, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Minerva Orduño Rincón, The Arizona Republic, 9 July 2022 Finish with a big pinch of salt, taste and adjust to your liking, and use right away. June Kim, Bon Appétit, 30 June 2022 Drizzle tops with Extra-Virgin Olive Oil and season all over with a pinch of finishing salt. Elizabeth Karmel, Forbes, 16 June 2022 Return to the eggplant: Combine the Italian and panko breadcrumbs in a large, shallow dish, such as a pie plate, along with a pinch each of salt and pepper, stirring until uniform. Becky Krystal, Washington Post, 25 May 2022 In a large salad bowl, place the greens along with a pinch of salt, and toss with your fingers to combine. Tribune News Service, cleveland, 23 May 2022 See More
Verb
The Reds opted to pinch-hit for Mike Moustakas in the ninth inning Saturday with two runners on base and left-handed closer Will Smith on the mound. Bobby Nightengale, The Enquirer, 3 July 2022 There have been moments when Moore has wanted to pinch herself. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 16 July 2022 Bryan Shaw relieved Pilkington and gave up a two-run double to pinch-hitter Seth Brown that sailed over the head of Myles Straw in center. Joe Noga, cleveland, 9 June 2022 Leading 6-2, Harris went out the to finish the game for Santana, but walked two hitters and gave up an RBI double to pinch-hitter Dominic Gross, setting the stage for Carney. John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2022 In one continuous movement starting at the inner brow, use your index finger and thumb on both hands simultaneously to gently pinch along to the brow, then using your ring finger, lightly sweep inwards under the eye to the inner corner. Felicity Carter, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2022 Inventories were low before the pandemic — estimates are Utah lacks at least 40,000 affordable dwellings or more — and those supplies have been thin enough since midsummer to pinch sales in a hot market. The Salt Lake Tribune, 19 Nov. 2021 The Mariners put Adam Frazier in to pinch run for Winker. Sarah Valenzuela, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2022 Using your moistened hands, pinch off and roll the ground meat into 8 balls (1 1/2 ounces each). Joe Yonan, Washington Post, 5 June 2022 Noun
Strain and serve in a coupe glass with ice and top with a pinch of flaky sea salt. Emily Longeretta, Variety, 7 Sep. 2022 Using a mortar and pestle, a small food processor or a blender, blend the garlic, anchovies and sugar with a pinch of salt into a paste. Kitty Greenwald, WSJ, 2 Aug. 2022 Think Belle from Beauty and the Beast, Princess Fiona (of Shrek), and/or Smurfette…with a pinch of festival fashion. Danielle Sinay, Glamour, 21 July 2022 Season with another generous pinch of salt and cook partially covered at a simmer until the corn is tender and the cooking liquid has reduced and thickened slightly, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Minerva Orduño Rincón, The Arizona Republic, 9 July 2022 Finish with a big pinch of salt, taste and adjust to your liking, and use right away. June Kim, Bon Appétit, 30 June 2022 Drizzle tops with Extra-Virgin Olive Oil and season all over with a pinch of finishing salt. Elizabeth Karmel, Forbes, 16 June 2022 Return to the eggplant: Combine the Italian and panko breadcrumbs in a large, shallow dish, such as a pie plate, along with a pinch each of salt and pepper, stirring until uniform. Becky Krystal, Washington Post, 25 May 2022 In a large salad bowl, place the greens along with a pinch of salt, and toss with your fingers to combine. Tribune News Service, cleveland, 23 May 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English, from Anglo-French *pincher, pincer
First Known Use
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Noun
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Adjective
1912, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing pinch
Kids Definition
pinch 1 of 2
verb
ˈpinch
pinched; pinching
1
: to squeeze between the finger and thumb or between the jaws of an instrument
My aunt pinched my cheeks.
2
: to squeeze painfully
I pinched my finger in a door.
3
: to break off by squeezing with the thumb and fingers
Pinch off a bit of dough.
4
: to cause to look thin or shrunken
… I saw Dad run toward me with his face all pinched with anger. Jack Gantos, Joey Pigza Loses Control
Jack Gantos, Joey Pigza Loses Controlpinch
2 of 2noun
1
: a time of emergency
He always helps out in a pinch.
2
: an act of squeezing skin between the thumb and fingers
3
: as much as may be picked up between the finger and the thumb : a very small amount
a pinch of salt
Medical Definition
pinch
transitive verb
ˈpinch
: to squeeze or compress (a part of the body) usually in a painful or discomforting way
a pinched nerve caused by entrapment
pinch 1 of 3
noun
1
as in grab
an instance of theft the pinch of my favorite sweater really bugged me! Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- grab
- swiping
- snatching
- theft
- heist
- rip-off
- mugging
- holdup
- burglary
- stickup
- break-in
2
as in arrest
the act of taking into one's control by authority of law an innocent person caught up in a city-wide pinch of drug dealers Synonyms & Similar Words
- arrest
- arrestment
- raid
- collar
- apprehension
- bust
- capture
- seizure
- restraint
- entrapment
- hold
- imprisonment
- house arrest
- confinement
- detention
- incarceration
- captivity
- remand
- enchainment
- immurement
- rearrest
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- discharge
- release
- liberation
- emancipation
3
as in shortage
a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number this labor pinch means that there'll be long lines at the checkouts Synonyms & Similar Words
- shortage
- lack
- crunch
- deficiency
- deficit
- scarcity
- drought
- paucity
- absence
- famine
- want
- inadequacy
- poverty
- scantiness
- insufficiency
- undersupply
- dearth
- scarceness
- failure
- lacuna
- inadequateness
- drouth
- necessity
- need
- omission
- poorness
- skimpiness
- privation
- meagerness
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- plenty
- abundance
- amplitude
- wealth
- sufficiency
- opulence
- excess
- adequacy
- surplus
- plenitude
- copiousness
- overabundance
- surfeit
- bountifulness
- oversupply
pinch
2 of 3verb
1
as in to nip
to squeeze tightly between two surfaces, edges, or points the zipper on those jeans always pinches me Synonyms & Similar Words
- nip
- hold
- grip
- clasp
- crimp
- clutch
- tweak
- take
- grasp
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- drop
- loosen
- free
- release
- spring
- loose
2
as in to steal
to take (something) without right and with an intent to keep pinched the earrings while the boutique owner was distracted by another customer Synonyms & Similar Words
- steal
- swipe
- lift
- grab
- pocket
- nip
- pilfer
- snatch
- filch
- hook
- boost
- nick
- rob
- appropriate
- purloin
- rip off
- snitch
- thieve
- sack
- take
- heist
- misappropriate
- pick
- seize
- run off with
- knock over
- walk off with
- hijack
- plunder
- loot
- make away with
- make off with
- poach
- pillage
- rifle
- grasp
- collar
- sponge
- burglarize
- shoplift
- kidnap
- rustle
- nail
- spirit
- mooch
- carjack
- abduct
- highjack
- shanghai
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- buy
- give
- purchase
- contribute
- present
- donate
- bestow
- hand over
3
as in to grab
to take or keep under one's control by authority of law pinched the purse snatcher just two blocks from where he had robbed the old lady Synonyms & Similar Words
- grab
- seize
- arrest
- restrain
- apprehend
- nab
- nick
- capture
- snatch
- detain
- nail
- bust
- catch
- run in
- pull in
- collar
- commit
- pick up
- jail
- trap
- hook
- bind
- hold
- get
- snare
- bag
- snap (up)
- confine
- land
- grapple
- imprison
- jug
- shackle
- lock (up)
- handcuff
- intern
- fetter
- incarcerate
- enchain
- manacle
- immure
- trammel
- remand
- rearrest
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- discharge
- loosen
- loose
- spring
- free
- release
- liberate
- emancipate
- unbind
- unchain
4
as in to save
to avoid unnecessary waste or expense if we pinch hard for the upcoming year, we can probably afford the vacation at that fancy resort Synonyms & Similar Words
- save
- spare
- conserve
- pinch pennies
- economize
- scrimp
- skimp
- manage
- scrape
- preserve
- maintain
- husband
- cut down
- hoard
- cut back
- lay up
- retrench
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- waste
- blow
- spend
- throw away
- lavish
- squander
- dissipate
- splurge
- misspend
- run through
- fritter (away)
pinch
3 of 3adjective
as in substitute
Synonyms & Similar Words
- substitute
- extra
- alternative
- alternate
- makeshift
- different
- another
- second
- spare
- other
- utility
- separate
- jury
- improvised
- new
- substitutive
- equivalent
- successive
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- first
- same
- former
- original
- equal
- permanent
- identical
- lasting
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of pinch are contingency, crisis, emergency, exigency, juncture, straits, and strait. While all these words mean "a critical or crucial time or state of affairs," pinch implies urgency or pressure for action to a less intense degree than exigency or emergency.
come through in a pinch
In some situations, the words contingency and pinch are roughly equivalent. However, contingency implies an emergency or exigency that is regarded as possible but uncertain of occurrence.
contingency plans
The meanings of crisis and pinch largely overlap; however, crisis applies to a juncture whose outcome will make a decisive difference.
a crisis of confidence
While the synonyms emergency and pinch are close in meaning, emergency applies to a sudden unforeseen situation requiring prompt action to avoid disaster.
the presence of mind needed to deal with emergencies
The words exigency and pinch can be used in similar contexts, but exigency stresses the pressure of restrictions or urgency of demands created by a special situation.
provide for exigencies
The words juncture and pinch are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, juncture stresses the significant concurrence or convergence of events.
an important juncture in our country's history
Strait, now commonly straits, applies to a troublesome situation from which escape is extremely difficult.
in dire straits