pin down

verb

pinned down; pinning down; pins down

transitive verb

1
: to cause or force (someone) to make a definite statement or decision about something
Reporters tried to pin him down on the specific changes he wants to make to the tax laws.
2
: to find out (something) with certainty
Can you pin down when the change occurred?
I'm trying to pin the source of the problem down.

Examples of pin down 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.
Meanwhile, a single hair trend couldn’t even be pinned down. India Espy-Jones, Essence, 31 Mar. 2025 Scientists have finally pinned down a protein that’s largely responsible for Parkinson’s disease. Michael Irving, New Atlas, 13 Mar. 2025 The space station’s chemical profile proved a little more difficult to pin down. Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 27 Feb. 2025 Stars of Durant’s stature can be notoriously difficult to pin down for interviews. Darnell Mayberry, The Athletic, 23 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pin down

Word History

First Known Use

1765, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pin down was in 1765

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pin down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pin%20down. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!