pinch-hit

1 of 2

verb

ˈpinch-ˈhit How to pronounce pinch-hit (audio)
ˌpinch-
pinch-hit; pinch-hitting; pinch-hits
Synonyms of pinch-hitnext

intransitive verb

1
: to act or serve in place of another
2
: to bat in the place of another player especially when a hit is particularly needed

pinch hit

2 of 2

noun

: a hit made by a pinch hitter

Synonyms of pinch-hit

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
With the game already out of hand, Ohtani was pinch-hit for in the fifth. Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 27 May 2026 Both of them pinch-hit in Saturday’s 3-0 loss to the Houston Astros, the Cubs’ seventh straight defeat. Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2026
Noun
Trevor Larnach pinch hit for Lewis in the eighth inning. Dan Hayes, New York Times, 18 May 2026 Roberts said Ohtani would be available to pinch hit if the situation called for it against the Giants on Thursday, but Ohtani showed up later than usual and had a more relaxed pregame routine. Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 15 May 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

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pinch-hit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pinch-hit. Accessed 30 May. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster