pinpoint

noun pin·point \ ˈpin-ˌpȯint \

|Updated on: 16 Aug 2018

Examples: pinpoint in a Sentence

Definition of pinpoint

1 : something that is extremely small or insignificant

2 : the point of a pin

3 : an extremely small or sharp point

See pinpoint defined for English-language learners

See pinpoint defined for kids

Recent Examples of pinpoint from the Web

McCullers induced 20 swings and misses, spinning his superb curveball with pinpoint precision.

— chandler rome, Houston Chronicle, "Lance McCullers thwarts his hometown Rays in Astros' shutout win," 28 June 2018
For surveyors relying on pinpoint precision, isostatic rebound is a complication.

— keith matheny, Detroit Free Press, "Great Lakes still impacted by Ice Age phenomenon," 2 Mar. 2018
Viola, your old rocket is now a modern precision weapon capable of hitting a target illuminated by a laser spot with pinpoint precision from three miles away.

— david hambling, Popular Mechanics, "A-10 Warthogs Now Carry Laser-Guided Rockets," 15 June 2016
After one-touch passes, midfielder Corben Bone distributed the ball wide for left back Blake Smith, who played a pinpoint cross to forward Danni Konig, who headed his team into the lead after 16 minutes.

— charlie hatch, Cincinnati.com, "FC Cincinnati beats Ottawa Fury FC 2-0 at Nippert, grows USL Eastern Conference lead," 30 June 2018
That may seem like a lot, but these were pinpoint hits, and actually an exercise in restraint.

— william langewiesche, The Atlantic, "An Extraordinarily Expensive Way to Fight ISIS," 21 June 2018
Fatigue and muscle cramps wore down the Dover-Sherborn standout, as Pathi’s pinpoint accuracy ran him from boundary to boundary on a hot afternoon.

— nate weitzer, BostonGlobe.com, "At Dover-Sherborn, a tennis perfectionist leads the way," 8 June 2018
The arm is plenty strong without as much need for the pinpoint accuracy required in the infield.

— jeff sanders, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Padres' Franchy Cordero proving difficult to keep down," 7 Mar. 2018
James played all 48 minutes and finished with 35 points, 15 rebounds and 9 assists, missing a triple-double only because the Cavaliers missed 26 of 35 3-pointers, many of them uncontested shots set up by pinpoint passes from James.

— harvey araton, New York Times, "With Sheer Will, LeBron James Leads the Cavaliers Back to the Finals," 27 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pinpoint.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of pinpoint

1670

in the meaning defined at sense 2

See Words from the same year

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pinpoint

adjective

Definition of pinpoint

1 : extremely fine or precise

2 : located, fixed, or directed with extreme precision

pinpoint targets

3 : small as a pinpoint

See pinpoint defined for English-language learners

Examples of pinpoint in a Sentence

The pitcher showed pinpoint control of his fastball.
the pinpoint measurement of brain tumors is critically important

Recent Examples of pinpoint from the Web

In some cities, like Houston and Dallas, utilities have already undertaken to upgrade their systems with new, digital equipment, allowing repair crews to more precisely pinpoint damage during storms.

— james osborne, Houston Chronicle, "Energy lobbyists increase pressure on Congress to speed up permitting," 8 Feb. 2018

First Known Use of pinpoint

1897

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

pinpoint Synonyms

pinpoint

verb

Definition of pinpoint

transitive verb

1 : to locate or aim with great precision or accuracy

pinpoint a source

2 a : to fix, determine, or identify with precision

pinpoint the cause

b : to cause to stand out conspicuously : highlight

See pinpoint defined for English-language learners

Examples of pinpoint in a Sentence

They were finally able to pinpoint the cause of the fire.
He pinpointed the city on the map.
Rescuers were able to pinpoint where the lost girl was.
The military uses computer imaging to pinpoint targets.

Recent Examples of pinpoint from the Web

Adding to that, the woman's cellphone transmitted too large a signal to pinpoint her exact location.

— kimberly rapanut, azcentral, "'The system worked': What led to rescue of woman from Mesa canal," 11 July 2018
This asymmetrical head further helps a boreal owl pinpoint the skitter of a vole through leaves.

— ned rozell, Anchorage Daily News, "During long summer days in Alaska, Boreal owls perform by daylight," 30 June 2018
The revelation shone a spotlight on just how easily and how quickly officials can pinpoint suspects using a technology that is increasingly pervasive in law enforcement.

— New York Times, "Newspaper Shooting Shows Widening Use of Facial Recognition by Authorities," 29 June 2018
Eddie Jacks, like most Tangier crabbers, had not fitted his boat with an emergency position-indicating radio beacon, or EPIRB, a device that automatically sends a satellite signal when a boat is in distress and pinpoints its location for rescuers.

— earl swift, Outside Online, "The Incredible True Story of the Henrietta C.," 20 June 2018
The data has apparently allowed outside companies to pinpoint the location of wireless devices without their owners’ knowledge or consent.

— frank bajak, USA TODAY, "Verizon, AT&T halt practice of selling cell phone owners' location to data brokers," 19 June 2018
With Green on James, Steve Kerr will have his most versatile and willing defender switching onto whichever opponent Curry was previously guarding, rather than yielding another mismatch for James to pinpoint as a passer.

— the crossover staff, SI.com, "2018 NBA Finals: Warriors-Cavs IV Picks, Random Predictions and More," 31 May 2018
The National Weather Service office in Melbourne is pinpointing only a 20 percent chance of precipitation for Orlando, with a high temperature hovering at about 93 degrees.

— stephen ruiz, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Orlando weather: Slight rain chance provides change of pace," 10 July 2018
Driscoll also recommended limiting the number of apps that can connect to the phone’s GPS, which pinpoints where the user is located.

— don stacom, Courant Community, "Internet Safety Expert: Know Who Your Kids Are Communicating With," 6 July 2018