as in close
giving or sharing as little as possible
neighborhood kids who were trick-or-treating knew better than to bother to knock on that pinching couple's door
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in saving
the quality or practice of being overly sparing with money
this constant pinching is getting ridiculous—we can afford to turn on one or two lights!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
as in stealing
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 arresting
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 conserving
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pinching
Adjective
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Read More: The Real Danger of the Trump-Putin Summit At the press conference, Putin talked about how close Russia was to America (shades of Sarah Palin) and claimed that Russian trade with American has increased by 20%.—
Richard Stengel,
Time,
16 Aug. 2025 -
Banished to the bullpen after struggling in the starting rotation, Montas trails only closer Edwin Díaz as the Mets’ most expensive reliever.—
Will Sammon,
New York Times,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Compare to Unilever's €1 billion investment in reusable packaging systems, already showing 12% cost savings in pilot markets, proving circular models can be profit centers rather than compliance costs.—
Trond Arne Undheim,
Forbes.com,
16 Aug. 2025
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However, the announcement marks a major win for those in the respective asset industries, who have long been lobbying for a chance to tap into the roughly $12.2 trillion held in retirement savings plans.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Again, this man has been holding onto so much, and things have just been compacted for him.—
Katcy Stephan,
Variety,
22 Mar. 2025
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This tiny spot has everything needed for relaxation—a pair of Adirondack chairs to lean back and reflect on the day and a tiny table for holding drinks and snacks.—
Libby Monteith Minor,
Southern Living,
22 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
According to the motion, ICE agents held the 12 Liberty employees in four booths for nearly two hours before arresting them and escorting them out of the restaurant.—
Taylor O’Connor,
Kansas City Star,
15 Mar. 2025
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The California Values Act, also known as Senate Bill 54, took effect in 2018 and limits how police in the state can work with federal immigration enforcement and also prevents police from investigating or arresting people for immigration enforcement purposes.—
Anabel Sosa,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Mar. 2025
Verb
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In 1980, voters overwhelmingly chose Reagan’s sunny optimism over Carter’s gloomy warnings about cutting back and conserving.—
Leonard Greene,
New York Daily News,
30 Dec. 2024
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Addressing these inefficiencies through sustainable practices, energy-efficient technologies, energy audits and waste-to-energy solutions is crucial to reducing the global carbon footprint, conserving resources, and mitigating the adverse effects of climate change.—
Dianne Plummer,
Forbes,
30 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Bright Outlook Defies Expert Predictions In their respective interviews, both Woods and Wirth were careful to point out that their partnering with each other in Guyana is nothing unique or even unusual.—
David Blackmon,
Forbes.com,
5 Aug. 2025
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Be careful to navigate around these components and move slowly when cutting anything with a mix of hard and soft textures, Rade Vukmir, MD, professor of clinical emergency medicine at Drexel University College of Medicine, tells SELF.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Closing out the 2017 Oscars, Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty presented the Best Picture category, with La La Land as the frontrunner and Moonlight nipping at its heels.—
EW Staff,
EW.com,
1 Mar. 2025
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The Panthers were able to prevent Pembroke from a clean sweep of both team championships, nipping the Titans for the girls crown by just nine points in the school standings with 69 overall.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
15 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Take a look through the list, then pick your potion—and be sure to consult with your physician before swiping anything onto your delicate lash line.—
Jenny Berg,
Allure,
24 Dec. 2024
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Tinder made waves in 2012 by introducing the swiping mechanism, which has since been widely adopted.—
Samantha Murphy Kelly,
CNN,
19 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Pinching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pinching. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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