Synonyms of pinch-hitting

pinch-hitting

verb

present participle of pinch-hit

as in substituting

to serve as a replacement usually for a time only

assigned to pinch-hit as a math teacher for the remainder of the semester

Synonyms & Similar Words

• substituting
• subbing
• spelling
• standing in
• covering
• filling in
• taking over
• stepping in
• relieving
• understudying
• doubling (as)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of pinch-hitting

Loftin delivered a two-run double while pinch-hitting and Maikel Garcia followed with an RBI single that tied the game at 5-5. —Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 13 May 2026

Jarren Duran, pinch-hitting for Andruw Monasterio, struck out swinging, and Connor Wong’s choppy grounder was easily gloved by Okamoto in the latter. —Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 29 Apr. 2026

Then Cash made another surprising move by leaving Vilade in to hit against Gaddis rather than pinch-hitting lefty Jake Fraley, and that also paid off when Vilade delivered an RBI single up the middle. —Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026

And in the bottom of the seventh, Yoshida led off with a single, Trevor Story walked, Ceddanne Rafaela, pinch-hitting for Marcelo Mayer, lined a ball past the outstretched glove arm of first baseman Keith, but far inside the right-field line for a two-run single. —Gabrielle Starr, Hartford Courant, 20 Apr. 2026

Schmitt grounded into a double play, and Jerar Encarnacion (pinch-hitting for Jung Hoo Lee) struck out swinging. —Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2026

Liam Hicks walked, Owen Caissie doubled and Javier Sanoja, pinch-hitting for Graham Pauley, shot a two-run single back up the middle to stretch the lead to 5-1. —Noah Gulley, Miami Herald, 19 Apr. 2026

And which right-handed hitting veteran becomes the pinch-hitting specialist and occasional DH? —Evan Grant, Dallas Morning News, 18 Mar. 2026

Sawyer Farr, pinch-hitting, ripped a double off the chalk in right field to drive in outfielder Terrence Kiel II to tie the game 1-1. —Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 21 Feb. 2026