in a pinch

phrase

US

: in a bad situation when help is needed

I can help out in a pinch if you need a babysitter.

In a pinch, you can substitute another ingredient in the recipe.

Examples of in a pinch in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This upcoming model packs an extra feature that could help cool you down in a pinch. — Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 3 Aug. 2026

This spray has replaced my toner—and, in a pinch, sometimes my face wash—on trips, meaning fewer products to consider and much faster packing. — Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 1 Aug. 2026

Grandma wasn’t against a secret shortcut, so this recipe calls for a package of frozen puff pastry dough to have these on the table in a pinch. — Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 1 Aug. 2026

What to Use Instead of Vinegar While using diluted vinegar here and there in a pinch likely won’t ruin your floors, there are much safer ways to clean laminate. — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 31 July 2026

Rhymes for in a pinch

• bullfinch
• goldfinch
• cinch
• finch
• flinch
• inch
• lynch
• synch
• winch