pincushion

noun

pin·​cush·​ion ˈpin-ˌku̇-shən How to pronounce pincushion (audio)
: a small cushion in which pins may be stuck ready for use

Examples of pincushion in a Sentence

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.
Flowerheads feature compact domes of tiny greenish-white flowers that form a pincushion-like center. — Judy Nauseef, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 May 2026 So my legs became sacrificial pincushions. — Joan Meiners, AZCentral.com, 10 Nov. 2025 In wet winters, the valleys beyond town awaken in color as sand verbena, desert sunflower, evening primrose and pincushion gather in brief, luminous blooms across the desert floor. — Josh Jackson, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026 The lens shows a little bit of pincushion distortion at longer focal lengths in Raw format, but in-camera corrections squash the issue for JPGs and movies. — Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 13 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for pincushion

Word History

First Known Use

1605, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pincushion was in 1605

Phrases Containing pincushion

Rhymes for pincushion

See All Rhymes for pincushion

Browse Nearby Words

pin curl
pincushion
pincushion cactus
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

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Kids Definition

pincushion

noun
pin·​cush·​ion ˈpin-ˌku̇sh-ən How to pronounce pincushion (audio)
: a small cushion in which pins may be stuck

More from Merriam-Webster on pincushion

Nglish: Translation of pincushion for Spanish Speakers

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