Synonyms of pinches

pinches 1 of 2

noun

plural of pinch

1

as in thefts

an instance of theft

the pinch of my favorite sweater really bugged me!

Synonyms & Similar Words

• thefts
• grabs
• heists
• rip-offs
• stickups
• holdups
• muggings
• burglaries
• break-ins

2

as in arrests

the act of taking into one's control by authority of law

an innocent person caught up in a city-wide pinch of drug dealers

Synonyms & Similar Words

• arrests
• arrestments
• raids
• apprehensions
• collars
• busts
• seizures
• captures
• restraints
• imprisonments
• entrapments
• detentions
• holds
• confinements
• incarcerations
• captivities
• house arrests
• remands
• rearrests
• enchainments
• immurements

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• discharges
• releases
• liberations
• emancipations

3

as in lacks

a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number

this labor pinch means that there'll be long lines at the checkouts

Synonyms & Similar Words

• lacks
• shortages
• deficiencies
• deficits
• wants
• absences
• inadequacies
• insufficiencies
• crunches
• lacunae
• droughts
• famines
• scarcities
• poverties
• failures
• dearths
• undersupplies
• paucities
• needs
• omissions
• necessities
• privations

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• amplitudes
• sufficiencies
• adequacies
• abundances
• wealths
• plenties
• excesses
• plenitudes
• surpluses
• oversupplies
• surfeits
• overabundances
• opulences

pinches

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of pinch

1

as in holds

to squeeze tightly between two surfaces, edges, or points

the zipper on those jeans always pinches me

Synonyms & Similar Words

• holds
• nips
• clasps
• grasps
• clutches
• grips
• takes
• crimps
• tweaks

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• springs
• drops
• releases
• frees
• loosens
• looses

2

as in steals

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

• steals
• swipes
• lifts
• grabs
• nips
• filches
• snatches
• pilfers
• pockets
• robs
• nicks
• appropriates
• hooks
• purloins
• thieves
• snitches
• rips off
• misappropriates
• boosts
• walks off with
• takes
• runs off with
• picks
• hijacks
• makes away with
• makes off with
• seizes
• plunders
• sacks
• heists
• loots
• pillages
• knocks over
• rustles
• grasps
• burglarizes
• rifles
• poaches
• kidnaps
• shoplifts
• abducts
• nails
• collars
• sponges
• spirits
• carjacks
• mooches
• shanghais

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• buys
• purchases
• gives
• contributes
• presents
• bestows
• donates
• hands over

3

as in seizes

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

• arrests
• seizes
• grabs
• restrains
• apprehends
• detains
• nicks
• nails
• captures
• nabs
• snatches
• collars
• catches
• runs in
• commits
• busts
• pulls in
• picks up
• traps
• lands
• binds
• hooks
• imprisons
• bags
• jails
• grapples
• holds
• snaps (up)
• confines
• gets
• snares
• incarcerates
• locks (up)
• handcuffs
• shackles
• jugs
• interns
• fetters
• remands
• enchains
• immures
• trammels
• manacles
• rearrests

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• springs
• discharges
• loosens
• liberates
• frees
• looses
• releases
• emancipates
• unbinds
• unchains

4

as in saves

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

• saves
• spares
• conserves
• economizes
• manages
• skimps
• scrimps
• pinches pennies
• scrapes
• preserves
• husbands
• maintains
• cuts down
• hoards
• cuts back
• retrenches
• lays up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• wastes
• spends
• blows
• runs through
• dissipates
• lavishes
• squanders
• throws away
• fritters (away)
• misspends
• splurges

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of pinches

Verb

There will be a moment in the frenzy at the Estadio Azteca, probably as the teams take to the field or the first ball is kicked in anger, when Darren Thompson pinches himself to be witnessing all this first-hand. — Rob Tanner, New York Times, 5 July 2026

Dad pinches my cheek between his first two fingers with a soppy look in his eyes. — Literary Hub, 24 Nov. 2025

There’s the moment Stanton’s Håkon Werle pinches the back of his son’s neck, like a cruel master bringing his dog to heel. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 Sep. 2025

For Spraggins’ colleague, Josie Wheeler — who still sometimes pinches herself at going from bartending to meetings with nuclear power plant operators — Accenture is a lifetime commitment. — Andy Tonsing, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025

This pinches the space between them so only the high-k dielectric completely surrounds them. — IEEE Spectrum, 14 Dec. 2017