pinch

verb
UK: /pɪntʃ/
US: /pɪntʃ/

  1. To squeeze something, usually skin, between your finger and thumb.

    1. Don't pinch me I'm awake now. [ ] [ ]
    2. The doctor had to pinch the patient to see if they reacted to the pain. [ ] [ ]

  2. To steal something small or of little value.

    1. Someone tried to pinch my wallet. [ ] [ ]
    2. He admitted that he used to pinch sweets from the local shop when he was a boy. [ ] [ ]

  3. To be too tight, especially shoes.

    1. These shoes pinch my toes. [ ] [ ]
    2. The new boots were stylish, but the leather pinch around the ankle making them unbearable. [ ] [ ]

  4. To reduce the amount of something, especially money, that you spend.

    1. We had to pinch pennies to save for a car. [ ] [ ]
    2. During the recession, many families had to pinch their budget to make ends meet. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

squeeze nip steal snatch skimp economize
pinch noun

  1. An act of squeezing someone's skin between your finger and thumb.

    1. She gave his cheek a pinch. [ ] [ ]
    2. After his rude comment, she responded with a sharp pinch on his arm. [ ] [ ]

  2. A small amount of something, especially a spice.

    1. Add a pinch of salt. [ ] [ ]
    2. The recipe calls for a pinch of cinnamon to enhance the flavor. [ ] [ ]

  3. A difficult situation, especially because of a lack of money.

    1. The company is feeling the pinch. [ ] [ ]
    2. With rising energy costs, many families are starting to feel the financial pinch. [ ] [ ]
pinch idiom

  1. Feel the pinch - to not have as much money as you used to.

    1. They are feeling the pinch. [ ] [ ]
    2. With rising inflation, many families are starting to feel the pinch of higher prices. [ ] [ ]

  2. Take something with a pinch of salt - to not completely believe something that you are told.

    1. I take his stories with a pinch. [ ] [ ]
    2. You should take his claims with a pinch of salt; he tends to exaggerate. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "pinch" in English means: To squeeze something, usually skin, between your finger and thumb., To steal something small or of little value., To be too tight, especially shoes., To reduce the amount of something, especially money, that you spend..

The phonetic transcription of "pinch" is /pɪntʃ/ in British English and /pɪntʃ/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "pinch": squeeze, nip, steal, snatch, skimp, economize.

Example usage of "pinch": "Don't pinch me I'm awake now.". More examples on the page.