pin down
verb
pinned down; pinning down; pins down
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
The gem’s value is hard to pin down Appraisals of the Bahia Emerald have ranged wildly from just a couple thousand dollars to $925 million.
—
Hunter Clauss, Los Angeles Times, 14 Dec. 2024
However, exactly when, how often and where this critical and mysterious juncture in human history took place has been hard to pin down.
—Katie Hunt, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024
Although best-known for financing and distributing horror classics like Hereditary, Midsommar, and The Witch, A24 has grown into a cultural juggernaut that's impossible to pin down.
—Mark R. Weaver, Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2024
But Israel and other forces not aligned with Iran will also find things to like about Assad’s government being pinned down.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 2 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pin down 
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.
Hunter Clauss, Los Angeles Times, 14 Dec. 2024
However, exactly when, how often and where this critical and mysterious juncture in human history took place has been hard to pin down.
—Katie Hunt, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024
Although best-known for financing and distributing horror classics like Hereditary, Midsommar, and The Witch, A24 has grown into a cultural juggernaut that's impossible to pin down.
—Mark R. Weaver, Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2024
But Israel and other forces not aligned with Iran will also find things to like about Assad’s government being pinned down.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 2 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pin down
Dictionary Entries Near pin down
Cite this Entry
“Pin down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pin%20down. Accessed 27 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share