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
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Recent Examples of pinching
Isabel Garcia, People.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 22 Oct. 2025
The silicone pad is molded to a curved angle, what the brand calls a mushroom shape, to reach each lash with precision and adequate pressure without pinching the skin.
—Kiana Murden, Vogue, 18 Oct. 2025
OmniBook x Flip, a 2-in-1 laptop that can do it all, featuring a spacious 16-inch display with a sharp 2K resolution that will never leave you squinting, pinching to zoom, or switching orientations to better see what’s on your screen.
—PC Magazine, 17 Oct. 2025
Pruning Young chocolate cosmos plants benefit from pinching back early the growing season.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 3 Oct. 2025
Bring edges of dough over apple mixture; shape into a ball, pinching and tucking dough edges to seal.
—Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Sep. 2025
Now, every webpage could be viewed natively on the phone’s browser, and zooming into a section was as easy as pinching or double-tapping.
—ArsTechnica, 22 Sep. 2025
Besides pinching, the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses can also be controlled using the Meta AI voice assistant, just as users can with the device’s predecessors.
—Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 20 Sep. 2025
In Bergdorf Goodman, Jane would protest her mother’s instructions in front of the salesgirls, and her mother would silence her by pinching her arm.
—Nicole Flattery, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Noun
The shoes have a wide toe box with plenty of room for feet to spread out, which helps prevent painful pinching and accommodates foot issues.
—Isabel Garcia, People.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
The high elastic waistband flatteringly cinches without pinching, according to one shopper, and the baggy wide-leg design gives your legs room to move through long airport lines and eight-hour workdays.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 22 Oct. 2025
The silicone pad is molded to a curved angle, what the brand calls a mushroom shape, to reach each lash with precision and adequate pressure without pinching the skin.
—Kiana Murden, Vogue, 18 Oct. 2025
OmniBook x Flip, a 2-in-1 laptop that can do it all, featuring a spacious 16-inch display with a sharp 2K resolution that will never leave you squinting, pinching to zoom, or switching orientations to better see what’s on your screen.
—PC Magazine, 17 Oct. 2025
Pruning Young chocolate cosmos plants benefit from pinching back early the growing season.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 3 Oct. 2025
Bring edges of dough over apple mixture; shape into a ball, pinching and tucking dough edges to seal.
—Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Sep. 2025
Now, every webpage could be viewed natively on the phone’s browser, and zooming into a section was as easy as pinching or double-tapping.
—ArsTechnica, 22 Sep. 2025
Besides pinching, the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses can also be controlled using the Meta AI voice assistant, just as users can with the device’s predecessors.
—Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 20 Sep. 2025
In Bergdorf Goodman, Jane would protest her mother’s instructions in front of the salesgirls, and her mother would silence her by pinching her arm.
—Nicole Flattery, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pinching
Adjective
-
Royal expert and author Christopher Andersen said Princess Anne, who has been a close confidant and advisor to her brother Charles for a while, was likely involved in the decision.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Let’s take a closer look at the best mowing height and timing to prepare your lawn for the cold ahead.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
But starting in 1970, Time and Date AS has tracked observance of daylight saving time in Kentucky every year.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
22 Oct. 2025
-
Daylight saving time is the period between March and November when Americans set their clocks ahead by one hour.—
Cailey Gleeson,
jsonline.com,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But when Ronnie set the theater's copy of The Music Man in motion on the projector, Matty appeared on screen holding what looked like a baby swaddled in a blanket.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
27 Oct. 2025
-
In photos obtained by the outlet, the pair could be seen walking out of the theater while holding hands and smiling.—
Nicholas Rice,
PEOPLE,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Their double life soon gets complicated when a rival boy band harboring a sinister secret begins stealing their fans.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
-
And the scam compounds in Cambodia continue to operate, stealing money from victims including US citizens.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Police arresting a pile of mac and cheese.—
Kimberly Richardson,
CNN Money,
21 Oct. 2025
-
As the first episode unfolds, Piest's mom's actions lead to police questioning Gacy and eventually arresting him just days after the teenager's disappearance.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Our results resonate with growing evidence that preserving today’s living large herbivores and understanding the diversity of their ecological niches is crucial for conserving functional ecosystems.—
Aditya Reddy Kurre,
The Conversation,
21 Oct. 2025
-
The human body’s strategies for conserving energy have something in common with how bears enter hibernation.—
Clayton Dalton,
New Yorker,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
This careful tiptoeing is probably because the scissor artwork was never meant to be sold at a wider scale.—
Samantha Allen,
Them.,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
And a fierce competitor is nipping at the agency’s heels.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
12 Oct. 2025
-
Legette’s catch started an extraordinary Panthers comeback that ended with Carolina nipping Miami, 27-24, in front of the home crowd at Bank of America Stadium.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pinching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pinching. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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