pin down

verb

pinned down; pinning down; pins down

transitive verb

1

: to cause or force (someone) to make a definite statement or decision about something

Reporters tried to pin him down on the specific changes he wants to make to the tax laws.

2

: to find out (something) with certainty

Can you pin down when the change occurred?

I'm trying to pin the source of the problem down.

Examples of pin down in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

While pinning down the exact reason why these states buck the trend is difficult, Hoell hypothesized the region’s unique summer monsoon rains could alleviate the risk. — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2026

Pinpointing The Cause Of The Cyclosporiasis Outbreak Public health officials are racing to pin down the cause of the cyclosporiasis outbreak, which has sickened thousands of people–including sending 308 to the hospital– in at least five states. — Amy Feldman, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026

When pinning down the right amount to apply, expert advise two easy visual aids—opt for squeezing out a nickel size amount, or two finger length worths of product. — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 17 July 2026

That’s a good thing, because partners will be hard to pin down as Uranus and Neptune harmonize! — Usa Today, USA Today, 15 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1765, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for pin down

• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown
• godown
• hometown