pinch-hit

1 of 2

verb

ˈpinch-ˈhit

ˌpinch-

pinch-hit; pinch-hitting; pinch-hits

Synonyms of pinch-hit

intransitive verb

: to act or serve in place of another

: to bat in the place of another player especially when a hit is particularly needed

pinch hit

2 of 2

Synonyms of pinch-hit

Relevance

Verb

substitute

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of pinch-hit in a Sentence

Verb assigned to pinch-hit as a math teacher for the remainder of the semester

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Verb

He was pinch-hit for in the seventh inning. — Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 June 2026 Rodolfo Durán pinch-hit for Hunt in the ninth inning and caught the final two innings. — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 June 2026

Noun

Caratini had come in to pinch hit for Matt Wallner. — Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 29 Apr. 2026 Benitendi pinch hit in the ninth and grounded out to second. — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 20 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for pinch-hit

Word History

Etymology

Verb

back-formation from pinch hitter

First Known Use

Verb

1911, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1927, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of pinch-hit was in 1911

See more words from the same year

Browse Nearby Words

pinchgut money

pinch-hit

pinch hit

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Pinch-hit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pinch-hit. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

pinch-hit

verb

noun

Synonyms of pinch-hit

Examples of pinch-hit in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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