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

This pair has an identical strap design to Stewart’s style, made of a knit fabric to minimize uncomfortable rubbing and pinching. — Genevieve Cepeda, InStyle, 18 July 2026

The headband is flexible for a perfect fit, and the adjustable earcups have plush cushioning to prevent pinching. — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2026

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

Verb

Procreate's new library system, which is accessible via the Brushes panel or a pinching gesture, can rescue anyone with an inflated brush inventory. — Shelby Putnam Tupper, PC Magazine, 17 July 2026

Then other students took turns slapping, pinching and punching the boy. — Jennifer Smith Richards, ProPublica, 15 July 2026

After a wave of price hikes from some of the world's largest companies, including Amazon, Apple and Netflix, even at-home pastimes like streaming movies or playing video games are pinching the pocketbooks of consumers like Green. — Alex Harring, CNBC, 11 July 2026

Gifford adds that occasionally pinching the growing tips will encourage fuller plants and delay flowering. — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 2 July 2026

Plus, the padded heel counters reduce chafing and pinching around your Achilles heel. — Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 1 July 2026

Starting along short side of rectangle, lay 4 pieces of pepperoni side by side, half-inch apart, and roll into tight cylinder, pinching seam to seal. — ABC News, 29 June 2026

Each arm has two finger-like pinching grippers that resemble the hands of a Lego mini figure. — Marcia Dunn, Fortune, 28 June 2026

In van Dongen’s case, the pinching motion required to hold a dart would trigger the spasms. — Kansas City Star, 24 June 2026