1
as in reduced
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of pinched
Rena Goldman,
Health,
28 June 2026
The rope around my left thigh pinched and clawed at the butterflies inked on my skin.
—
Literary Hub,
17 June 2026
The chain has been further pinched in recent years by the growth of DoorDash, Uber Eats and other restaurant delivery companies which marketed access to a slew of cuisines besides pizza.
—
ABC News,
16 June 2026
Her portrait of residents pinched between floods and receding sea ice is a testament to their love of this vulnerable land that is their home.
—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
Ingoglia has slammed city and county officials for overtaxing property owners as inflation and other costs have pinched residents.
—
Gray Rohrer,
Miami Herald,
8 June 2026
Petritz says leaves with sunscald can be pinched off.
—
Samantha Johnson,
Martha Stewart,
30 May 2026
Fonseca served out under pressure to take the match into a deciding set, and when Djokovic, a master of closing, pinched an early break for 3-1, Fonseca simply broke back immediately.
—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
However, many annuals can become spindly and produce fewer blooms than expected unless they are pinched back.
—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
28 May 2026
Verb
The skin still looks smooth, but some changes are visible when pinched.
—
Rena Goldman,
Health,
28 June 2026
The rope around my left thigh pinched and clawed at the butterflies inked on my skin.
—
Literary Hub,
17 June 2026
The chain has been further pinched in recent years by the growth of DoorDash, Uber Eats and other restaurant delivery companies which marketed access to a slew of cuisines besides pizza.
—
ABC News,
16 June 2026
Her portrait of residents pinched between floods and receding sea ice is a testament to their love of this vulnerable land that is their home.
—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
Ingoglia has slammed city and county officials for overtaxing property owners as inflation and other costs have pinched residents.
—
Gray Rohrer,
Miami Herald,
8 June 2026
Petritz says leaves with sunscald can be pinched off.
—
Samantha Johnson,
Martha Stewart,
30 May 2026
Fonseca served out under pressure to take the match into a deciding set, and when Djokovic, a master of closing, pinched an early break for 3-1, Fonseca simply broke back immediately.
—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
However, many annuals can become spindly and produce fewer blooms than expected unless they are pinched back.
—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
28 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pinched
Adjective
-
The budget also establishes 22,770 new slots for free or reduced childcare, which Newsom had proposed decreasing.
-
Employees may appreciate the flexibility, but if customers experience slower service, inconsistent support, or reduced responsiveness, the model becomes difficult to sustain.
Adjective
-
The church’s punishment, however, delivered in front of the congregants, is an eerie ritual performed by a gaunt, severe visitor (Nicholas Hope).
-
Brig is in the Upper Valais, a gaunt and conservative place where the inhabitants speak Walliser German, an Alpine dialect that many Swiss people find unintelligible.
Verb
-
In the end, a ball that nipped back in from Harry Conway, bowling around the wicket, did for Stokes five runs short of his century.
-
Incumbent Mayor Terry Lynne nipped Jaime Rivas by 25 votes in Saturday's Farmers Branch mayoral runoff, according to final but unofficial returns.
Verb
-
Joshua Serad, of Maple Shade, stole and damaged Pride flags Monday in the business district of Haddonfield on Kings Highway, according to police.
-
Fudd followed with a go-ahead layup that put Dallas up 111-110 before Jessica Shepard stole the ball, and Aziaha James capped the scoring with a free throw to end it.
Verb
-
Twenty-six people were detained and six of them were arrested on outstanding warrants.
-
The Dodge Durango driver fled after the fatal collision and has not been arrested.
Verb
-
The technology is estimated to have saved an average of 190,000 lives each year between 2019-2021 as temperatures soared, according to the International Energy Agency.
-
None of this generated the kind of headlines that a remote surgery possibly would have, but the reality has undoubtedly saved the lives of countless people.
Adjective
-
Perhaps the Clippers steer clear from potential NBA penalties after their investigation finally determines whether the Clippers actually paid Leonard $28 million through an endorsement deal with a bankrupt sustainability company (Aspiration).
-
The Clippers, of course, have been accused of paying Leonard $28 million through an endorsement deal with bankrupt sustainability company Aspiration.
Adjective
-
Rocking back and forth nervously during a television appearance, a haggard-looking Diaz-Canel acknowledged the same talks, which his government had denied were taking place just days before.
-
Wrexham, meanwhile, was near the bottom, struggling in England’s lowest division under a haggard fan-ownership group keeping it on life support.
Cite this Entry
“Pinched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pinched. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
