pinch hitter

noun

: 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.
The Yankees led 5-4 with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning when Rangers manager Bruce Bochy put Pederson in as a pinch hitter. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Aug. 2025 More cheers and more energy followed in the bottom of the ninth when Cedric Mullins, a one-time All-Star and Silver Slugger with the Baltimore Orioles, made his debut as a pinch hitter. Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2025 The Twins led the Chicago Cubs 8-0 Tuesday at Target Field and were two outs away from a lopsided win, when Chicago sent veteran Justin Turner to the plate as a pinch hitter to face Minnesota lefty Joey Wentz. Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 9 July 2025 The Naperville North graduate appeared in just seven games, primarily as a pinch hitter and at second base, and got only five at-bats during his freshman season at Western Michigan in 2024. Matt Le Cren, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2025 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 20 Aug. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on pinch hitter

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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