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
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Recent Examples of pinch-hitting
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 for Sorrell, blasted a double to right field and drove in Kiel II to tie the game and bring the game to extra innings.
—Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 21 Feb. 2026
The Giants have come a long way from Mark Mathias pinch-hitting for Brandon Crawford.
—Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2026
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 for Sorrell, blasted a double to right field and drove in Kiel II to tie the game and bring the game to extra innings.
—Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 21 Feb. 2026
The Giants have come a long way from Mark Mathias pinch-hitting for Brandon Crawford.
—Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pinch-hitting
substituting
Verb
-
Farke responded by substituting Bijol for Joe Rodon, who was much more confident in carrying the ball forward, and James Justin for Stach.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
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Here opposites — classy and brassy — are distractions, with odd-couple joking substituting for something more substantial.—
Frank Rizzo,
Variety,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pinch-hitting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pinch-hitting. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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