Synonyms of pinching

pinching 1 of 3

adjective

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

• close
• careful
• tight
• selfish
• greedy
• sparing
• miserly
• conserving
• mean
• stingy
• desirous
• cheap
• spare
• saving
• ungenerous
• tightfisted
• parsimonious
• penny-pinching
• penurious
• stinting
• uncharitable
• chintzy
• small
• closefisted
• pinchpenny
• mingy
• economical
• economizing
• grasping
• chary
• scrimping
• frugal
• covetous
• thrifty
• skimping
• itchy
• avaricious
• acquisitive
• mercenary
• envious
• begrudging
• grudging
• coveting
• sordid
• shabby
• rapacious
• resentful
• avid
• hoggish
• inhospitable

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• generous
• liberal
• bountiful
• charitable
• unstinting
• openhanded
• bounteous
• munificent
• unsparing
• free
• unselfish
• extravagant
• selfless
• altruistic
• profuse
• lavish
• handsome
• overgenerous
• benevolent
• freehanded
• philanthropic
• hospitable
• humanitarian
• beneficent
• wasting
• kindly
• compassionate
• magnanimous
• wasteful
• profligate
• spendthrift
• dissipating
• unthrifty
• prodigal
• openhearted
• squandering
• good-hearted
• greathearted
• splurging
• frittering
• thriftless

pinching

2 of 3

noun

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

• saving
• economizing
• economy
• tightness
• managing
• cheapness
• stinginess
• miserliness
• conserving
• providence
• closeness
• parsimony
• penny-pinching
• cheeseparing
• husbanding
• conservation
• tightfistedness
• penuriousness
• thrift
• frugality
• scrimping
• skimping
• husbandry

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• generosity
• liberality
• bounty
• unselfishness
• philanthropy
• extravagance
• largesse
• dissipation
• openhandedness
• lavishness
• bountifulness
• squandering
• wastefulness
• prodigality
• openheartedness
• improvidence

pinching

3 of 3

verb

present participle of pinch

1

as in holding

to squeeze tightly between two surfaces, edges, or points

the zipper on those jeans always pinches me

Synonyms & Similar Words

• holding
• nipping
• clasping
• clutching
• grasping
• gripping
• crimping
• taking
• tweaking

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dropping
• releasing
• springing
• freeing
• loosening
• loosing

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

• stealing
• swiping
• lifting
• grabbing
• nipping
• robbing
• pilfering
• snatching
• nicking
• thieving
• filching
• pocketing
• appropriating
• hooking
• snitching
• purloining
• misappropriating
• ripping off
• boosting
• picking
• taking
• running off with
• making off with
• hijacking
• seizing
• plundering
• making away with
• sacking
• heisting
• walking off with
• looting
• pillaging
• grasping
• knocking over
• burglarizing
• rifling
• poaching
• shoplifting
• rustling
• nailing
• abducting
• collaring
• sponging
• kidnapping
• mooching
• spiriting
• carjacking
• shanghaiing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• buying
• purchasing
• giving
• contributing
• presenting
• donating
• bestowing
• handing over

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

• arresting
• seizing
• grabbing
• restraining
• apprehending
• detaining
• nicking
• capturing
• nailing
• snatching
• busting
• committing
• running in
• pulling in
• nabbing
• catching
• trapping
• collaring
• jailing
• imprisoning
• picking up
• confining
• bagging
• hooking
• snaring
• holding
• incarcerating
• grappling
• binding
• handcuffing
• getting
• landing
• snapping (up)
• locking (up)
• shackling
• interning
• fettering
• jugging
• immuring
• enchaining
• remanding
• trammeling
• manacling
• rearresting

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• discharging
• springing
• releasing
• loosening
• freeing
• loosing
• liberating
• emancipating
• unbinding
• unchaining

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

• saving
• conserving
• sparing
• economizing
• managing
• scrimping
• skimping
• preserving
• scraping
• pinching pennies
• maintaining
• hoarding
• husbanding
• cutting down
• cutting back
• retrenching
• laying up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• wasting
• spending
• blowing
• squandering
• dissipating
• running through
• lavishing
• throwing away
• frittering (away)
• misspending
• splurging

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of pinching

Noun

The penny pinching doesn’t exactly translate with the NBA, a players’ league and one where market size to elevate brand is difficult in Portland. —Maury Brown, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026

The bra’s signature M frame creates a sturdy structure that supports your chest sans underwire — thereby avoiding any digging, pinching, and poking throughout the day. —Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 10 May 2026

The result is a weeknight-friendly meal with no need for folding and pinching. —Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Apr. 2026

The memory foam construction also provides plush cushioning to prevent pinching. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026

In digital tests, wearers used natural pinching and grasping gestures to zoom and manipulate virtual objects on a computer screen with fluid precision. —Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 25 Mar. 2026

The penny pinching has small business owners complaining about hard times. —ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026

Made from SpanxSmooth material—a lightweight nylon-and-elastane blend—the bralette feels almost weightless and provides gentle smoothing without any digging or pinching. —Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 30 Nov. 2025

Walter’s first full season in charge was the end of the penny pinching that existed under prior owner Frank McCourt. —Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 27 Oct. 2025

Verb

Both teams’ forwards pressure real hard and are very physical while their defensemen are very active pinching deep, which results in extended zone time and wearing the opposition down. —Pierre Lebrun, New York Times, 1 June 2026

Sometimes there was laughter from girls who were pinching or tickling each other. —Annie Ernaux, New Yorker, 1 June 2026

If the plant is a variety that produces just one flower on each plant, such as Bombay celosia, foxglove, or annual poppies, pinching back is not appropriate. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 28 May 2026

OpenAI illustrates the strain pinching the industry. —James Broughel, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026

The relaxed fit feels airy on warm days, while the elastic waistband stretches comfortably without pinching or digging in. —Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 23 May 2026

Here, the oyster clamped swiftly shut, pinching Yara’s finger. —Literary Hub, 19 May 2026

Roll pastry around filling, pinching to seal. —Shelly Westerhausen Worcel, Midwest Living, 18 May 2026

Higher fuel and food costs are causing consumers to scale back on spending at restaurants, a trend that is also pinching local businesses and commercial fishermen. —Steve Maugeri, CBS News, 16 May 2026