1
2
as in arrests
the act of taking into one's control by authority of law
an innocent person caught up in a city-wide pinch of drug dealers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in lacks
a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number
this labor pinch means that there'll be long lines at the checkouts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
as in steals
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 seizes
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 saves
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pinches
Literary Hub, 24 Nov. 2025
There’s the moment Stanton’s Håkon Werle pinches the back of his son’s neck, like a cruel master bringing his dog to heel.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 Sep. 2025
For Spraggins’ colleague, Josie Wheeler — who still sometimes pinches herself at going from bartending to meetings with nuclear power plant operators — Accenture is a lifetime commitment.
—Andy Tonsing, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
This pinches the space between them so only the high-k dielectric completely surrounds them.
—IEEE Spectrum, 14 Dec. 2017
Verb
Dad pinches my cheek between his first two fingers with a soppy look in his eyes.
—Literary Hub, 24 Nov. 2025
There’s the moment Stanton’s Håkon Werle pinches the back of his son’s neck, like a cruel master bringing his dog to heel.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 Sep. 2025
For Spraggins’ colleague, Josie Wheeler — who still sometimes pinches herself at going from bartending to meetings with nuclear power plant operators — Accenture is a lifetime commitment.
—Andy Tonsing, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
This pinches the space between them so only the high-k dielectric completely surrounds them.
—IEEE Spectrum, 14 Dec. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pinches
Noun
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However, in 2024, there were 223 car thefts during the same time period.—
Todd Feurer,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Since then, crime has fallen and the percentage of solved robberies has increased from 34% to 49%, according to Berkeley Police Chief Jen Louis, who specifically praised the technology for helping track down auto thefts and identifying suspects across the region.—
Chase Hunter,
Mercury News,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Police officers were seen de-escalating the situation, as no arrests were made, according to the Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Network.—
Sarah D. Wire,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
-
The arrests triggered the anger of Oli’s supporters, and hundreds gathered near the prime minister’s office later Saturday to protest and demand that Oli be immediately released from custody.—
Binaj Gurubacharya,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
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As of Wednesday, firearms dealers are required under state law to use scanners that pull the prospective purchaser’s name, date of birth and other details from the card’s magnetic strip, which the new design lacks — except if they are authorized otherwise.—
Madison Smalstig,
Sacbee.com,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Each provides amino acids that the other lacks, so eating them together gives you all the essential amino acids.—
Merve Ceylan,
Health,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Helium producers in North America — which holds the largest share of the market — are set to benefit from the disruption to Qatar’s supply, but Russia — the third largest helium supplier — could also gain.—
Kai Nicol-Schwarz,
CNBC,
27 Mar. 2026
-
For those whose days of hair-banking possibility are long behind them, autologous fat grafting holds some promise.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Each impact steals a tiny bit of the spacecraft’s speed, pushing it a smidgen closer to Earth.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Outstanding UConn defender Dom Perno steals the ball from Bradley as the clock runs out to preserve a UConn victory, sending UConn to the Elite 8, where they eventually were beaten by Duke, 101-54.—
Kels Dayton,
Hartford Courant,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Earnest and intersectional, the spoken word artist’s debut solo album seizes upon the power of club music to preach about gender equality, personal transformation, and communal uplift.—
Jesse Dorris,
Pitchfork,
25 Mar. 2026
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So, when Ozzie (Kyle Bary), a former child star, finds himself in a heap of trouble, Jax seizes the opportunity to spice up her daily routine.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Sorokin was locked in from the drop of the puck, denying Colin Blackwell on a shorthanded breakaway 10 minutes in and making a handful of other 10-bell saves on quality scoring chances in the first period alone.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Sorokin was locked in from the drop of the puck, denying Colin Blackwell on a shorthanded breakaway 10 minutes in and making a handful of other 10-bell saves on quality scoring chances in the first period alone.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The deal currently runs from 2029 to 2039, with the ceremony more specifically taking place at what’s currently known as the Peacock Theater (though naming rights will soon be up for grabs).—
Marcus Jones,
IndieWire,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Ezukanma has also been hard to matchup with during one-on-ones and had a few nice grabs during team drills.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pinches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pinches. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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