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

Sure, teams would line up to sign him as a backup because of his experience and ability to win games in a pinch. — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 16 July 2026

Small sprigs of green trachelium add texture to the arrangements (in a pinch, curly parsley works as an alt). — Sarah Halverson, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 July 2026

Having this unbaked pasta dish in your freezer will never fail to save you in a pinch. — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 12 July 2026

Keeping jarred tomato sauce on hand can also come in incredibly helpful in a pinch. — Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 8 July 2026

Rhymes for in a pinch

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