pinched 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of pinchednext
1
as in reduced

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in gaunt

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

pinched

2 of 2

verb

past tense of pinch
1
as in nipped
to squeeze tightly between two surfaces, edges, or points the zipper on those jeans always pinches me

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stole
to take (something) without right and with an intent to keep pinched the earrings while the boutique owner was distracted by another customer

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in arrested
to take or keep under one's control by authority of law pinched the purse snatcher just two blocks from where he had robbed the old lady

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in saved
to avoid unnecessary waste or expense if we pinch hard for the upcoming year, we can probably afford the vacation at that fancy resort

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pinched
  1. gaunt
  2. arrested
  3. haggard
  4. held
  5. swiped
  6. seized
  7. bankrupt
  8. clasped
Adjective
  • The hostages appeared gaunt in the disturbing black-and-white footage.
    Andrea Vacchiano, Fox News, 2 Sep. 2024
  • The piece, The Frugal Meal, depicts a gaunt couple at a dinner table before an empty bowl, a small loaf of bread and a bottle of wine.
    Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Nov. 2024
Definition of gaunt
Verb
  • Smith was arrested in May 2020 and was being held on $1 million bail.
    City News Service, Orange County Register, 16 Nov. 2024
  • Howard was arrested Wednesday in Danville, and reportedly made a statement to police, but authorities haven’t revealed the details of it.
    Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2024
Definition of arrested
Adjective
  • The face that confronted him was haggard and gaunt, its hair and beard unkempt.
    Greg Jackson, The New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2024
  • These are films about a haggard failson trying to hold his life together with the help of a wise-cracking goo monster who longs for the taste of human brains.
    Charles Pulliam-Moore, The Verge, 24 Oct. 2024
Definition of haggard
Verb
  • As of September 30, 2024, the company held $12,895,117 in marketable securities in its Trust Account, with $517,975 in cash available for working capital purposes.
    Quartz Bot, Quartz, 14 Nov. 2024
  • Reading International has classified several properties as held for sale, including assets in Townsville, Australia, and Wellington and Rotorua, New Zealand, as part of its strategy to enhance liquidity.
    Quartz Bot, Quartz, 14 Nov. 2024
Definition of held
Verb
  • The screen on the Liberty 4 Pro is more limited, with a small touch bar below it that can be swiped to adjust the ANC or turn on transparency mode.
    Andrew Liszewski, The Verge, 3 Oct. 2024
  • Love… you… guys… Then Art swiped his scalpel back and forth across her chest six times, each slice sending lines of blood into the air.
    William Earl, Variety, 1 Oct. 2024
Definition of swiped
Verb
  • The Justice Department seized 41 of the web domains, according to the FBI affidavit, and also granted Microsoft control of 66 additional domains the company said were part of the same operation.
    Kevin Collier, NBC News, 3 Oct. 2024
  • Hamas continues to hold dozens of hostages seized on October 7th and has not released the bodies of 39 more who are believed to have died in captivity.
    Matthew Carey, Deadline, 3 Oct. 2024
Definition of seized
Adjective
  • States such as China, Brazil, and India are casting themselves as new alternatives to bankrupt Western leadership.
    Leslie Vinjamuri, Foreign Affairs, 15 Nov. 2024
  • At the same time, the Fed’s superfluous nature on the matter of inflation is a reminder that governments, not banks, cause inflation given their economically bankrupt belief that devaluation of the dollars individuals and businesses earn is somehow good for the economy.
    John Tamny, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024
Definition of bankrupt
Verb
  • Next to De León was a statue of the church’s namesake, Our Lady of Sorrows, hands clasped and face frozen in misery.
    Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2024
  • When the town hall ended, Harris went over and clasped hands with Castillo, whose face was still streaked with tears.
    Will Weissert, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2024
Definition of clasped
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near pinched

pinchbeck

pinched

pinched pennies

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Pinched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pinched. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on pinched

Nglish: Translation of pinched for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of pinched for Arabic Speakers

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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

9 Superb Owl Words

15 Words That Used to Mean Something Different
See All

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
sweet smart pug puppy dog sitting in front of blackboard with chalk question marks
Commonly Confused Words Quiz Vol. 3 Do you have a (flare/flair) for choosing the righ...