pinch hitter

noun

Synonyms of pinch hitternext
: one that pinch-hits

Examples of pinch hitter in a Sentence

the business owners brought in a pinch hitter until a permanent manager could be hired
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Karros homered as a pinch hitter in the seventh. ABC News, 31 May 2026 Call assumed Ward’s spot in the order as a pinch hitter in the fifth inning and delivered a two-run single for a 6-0 lead. Doug Padilla, Oc Register, 31 May 2026 Karros homered as a pinch hitter in the seventh. CBS News, 30 May 2026 Wolverines sophomore Eric Tani came in as a pinch hitter and ripped an RBI single to right field to tie the game at 1-1 in the fourth inning with two outs. Gqlshare, Daily News, 27 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for pinch hitter

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pinch hitter was in 1896

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pinch hitter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pinch%20hitter. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

pinch hitter

noun
1
: a baseball player sent in to bat for another especially when a hit is needed
2
: a person called upon to do another's work in an emergency
pinch-hit
(ˈ)pinch-ˈhit
verb

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