1
as in reduced
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2
as in gaunt
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
1
2
as in stole
to take (something) without right and with an intent to keep
pinched the earrings while the boutique owner was distracted by another customer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in arrested
to take or keep under one's control by authority of law
pinched the purse snatcher just two blocks from where he had robbed the old lady
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in saved
to avoid unnecessary waste or expense
if we pinch hard for the upcoming year, we can probably afford the vacation at that fancy resort
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pinched
Trevor Bach, Dallas Morning News, 26 Jan. 2026
The first set, from 1912 to 1915, shows Schjerfbeck in her fifties, her face milk white, her lips pinched and stern.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2026
Martin advises that young plants can be pinched back for fuller growth although that will delay flowering a bit.
—Dawn Pettinelli, Hartford Courant, 18 Jan. 2026
Local handset makers are getting pinched by high memory prices.
—Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 17 Jan. 2026
The result has been a large share of households whose budgets are pinched by higher costs.
—Sarah Agostino, CNBC, 16 Jan. 2026
Sliding rents and soaring construction costs have pinched developers, Brending said, stalling at least three large-scale projects in the State Street district.
—Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 14 Jan. 2026
Some riders have gotten stuck between the gates CBS News New York cameras captured a woman with her head pinched between the gates.
—Adi Guajardo, CBS News, 31 Dec. 2025
They are pinched into a bright, almost surgical nasality or burst loose into grand, sideways arcs, flaring out in a feral yelp.
—Emma Madden, Pitchfork, 21 Dec. 2025
Verb
Non-wealthy Americans, though, have been feeling more and more pinched.
—Trevor Bach, Dallas Morning News, 26 Jan. 2026
The first set, from 1912 to 1915, shows Schjerfbeck in her fifties, her face milk white, her lips pinched and stern.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2026
Martin advises that young plants can be pinched back for fuller growth although that will delay flowering a bit.
—Dawn Pettinelli, Hartford Courant, 18 Jan. 2026
Local handset makers are getting pinched by high memory prices.
—Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 17 Jan. 2026
The result has been a large share of households whose budgets are pinched by higher costs.
—Sarah Agostino, CNBC, 16 Jan. 2026
Sliding rents and soaring construction costs have pinched developers, Brending said, stalling at least three large-scale projects in the State Street district.
—Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 14 Jan. 2026
Some riders have gotten stuck between the gates CBS News New York cameras captured a woman with her head pinched between the gates.
—Adi Guajardo, CBS News, 31 Dec. 2025
They are pinched into a bright, almost surgical nasality or burst loose into grand, sideways arcs, flaring out in a feral yelp.
—Emma Madden, Pitchfork, 21 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pinched
Adjective
-
When activated, those cells begin clearing away existing amyloid plaques, a process that was associated with reduced plaque buildup and improved cognitive function, the study found.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Others said it was turned off for no more than a day, and some said the water was still available but at a reduced level.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Regina was standing by the window now, looking even more gaunt under the artificial light of the bulb behind her and the faint glow of the sunrise in front, which barely managed to filter through the balcony awning.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Thanks in part to Ozempic, thin is back in, with once-plus-size celebrities sporting svelter physiques, and some already-slim stars now verging on gaunt.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This could easily have been nipped in the bud had Brook confessed to what had happened before the third ODI in Wellington, rather than halfway through the game itself, and then immediately been suspended just for that game by England.—
Paul Newman,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Mercedes pulled the wraps off the 2027 S500 4Matic, S580 4Matic, and S580e 4Matic today, heralding a not completely new, but largely refreshed, nipped, and tucked version of the German automaker’s flagship sedan.—
Jerry Perez,
The Drive,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
As Fiala started to size up Husso, Sennecke lifted Fiala’s stick and, in one motion, stole the puck and sent a backhand pass to Mikael Granlund.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
-
According to an affidavit, agitators stole material, including personal information, from government vehicles in Minneapolis.—
Alex Nitzberg,
FOXNews.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The suspect, identified by authorities as a 17-year-old San Jose boy, was arrested on suspicion of murder Tuesday in Santa Clara, San Jose police Officer Tanya Hernandez said in a news release.—
Jason Green,
Mercury News,
31 Jan. 2026
-
The verdict capped a yearslong effort to hold Chasing Horse accountable after he was first arrested and indicted in 2023, sending what authorities described as shock waves through the area.—
Stephanie Giang-Paunon,
FOXNews.com,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
McBride adds two types of dairy at the end before serving, both heavy cream and sour cream (which is usually saved as a topping), for an extra creamy soup.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Summers says the medical team initiated CPR immediately and delivered her son within six minutes of the code call—a feat that saved his life.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
No one’s going to want to watch a haggard perimenopausal woman who’s badly lit.—
Mikey O'Connell,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Now, the film is a downright classic, centering on three haggard witches (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy) who go on a hilarious misadventure while trying to remain young forever.—
Keith Langston,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The rapper, who pleaded not guilty to all charges, has been held at the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center since he was arrested in September 2024.—
Daniel S. Levine,
People.com,
6 Aug. 2025
-
That means every state budget could be held hostage until the whims of a small fraction of legislators is satisfied.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pinched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pinched. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
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