How to Use pinch in a Sentence

pinch

1 of 2 verb
Definition of pinchnext
Synonyms for pinchnext
  • He pinched off the top of the shoots.
  • She pinched back the new growth.
  • Pinch together the edges of the dough.
  • I pinched my fingers in the door.
  • He pinched the top of his nose to stop the bleeding and leaned forward.
  • He pinched her cheeks and told her how cute she was.
  • These new shoes are pinching my toes.
  • By pinching and scraping, she managed to save enough money to buy a new car.
  • My little brother is always trying to pinch me.
  • When the timer goes off, pinchy pinching will stop the timer.
    — Antonio G. Di Benedetto, The Verge, 23 Oct. 2023
  • The Mariners put Adam Frazier in to pinch run for Winker.
    — Sarah Valenzuela, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2022
  • Gently wrap the dough roll around the can, seam side down, and pinch the ends well.
    — Emanuella Grinberg, CNN, 20 Feb. 2023
  • Lay them on their back, tilt their chin up, and pinch their nose.
    — Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 31 Mar. 2023
  • Put the tip of the utility knife blade against the hook and pinch the blade there with your thumb.
    — Popular Mechanics, 26 Jan. 2023
  • Buds puffing out from my ribs, present enough to pinch but not to hold.
    — Madeleine Watts, Harper’s Magazine , 25 May 2022
  • As a child of the Depression, I was brought up to pinch pennies.
    — Françoise Mouly, The New Yorker, 6 June 2022
  • If there is a lot of spindly green growth, remove it or pinch it back.
    — Jeff Lowenfels, Anchorage Daily News, 3 Mar. 2022
  • Cut them back in early spring and pinch back the new growth for a more compact plant.
    — oregonlive, 8 Oct. 2022
  • Tear off a piece of aluminum foil, and pinch it at the middle to create a tent.
    — Taylor Tobin, Southern Living, 30 Oct. 2023
  • Roll out too thin of a skin or pinch an imperfect crimp and the broth will leak through.
    — Clarissa Wei, Los Angeles Times, 1 Dec. 2023
  • There's seating for seven, though adults in the third row will feel pinched.
    — Andrew Wendler, Car and Driver, 12 June 2023
  • Yes, the green one is the worst of them all because there are many valid ways to pinch it with the gripper and lift it up.
    — IEEE Spectrum, 12 Feb. 2024
  • If the plant becomes leggy, simply pinch back the stems to keep the plant compact.
    — Sheryl Geerts, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Sep. 2023
  • First, pinch off about 2 tablespoons of dough and set aside.
    — WSJ, 30 Nov. 2022
  • What to Consider: These take a little longer to break in and can feel pinched at the toe at first.
    — Maggie Slepian, Travel + Leisure, 9 Feb. 2024
  • The pain came on slow and built over the next two weeks until one day the disc pinched her sciatic nerve.
    — WIRED, 16 Aug. 2023
  • Fold the dough over the filling to form a half circle and pinch the edges together.
    — Janelle Davis, CNN, 7 Feb. 2023
  • Place a spoonful of cheese mixture in each dough square, and pinch corners to seal.
    — Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 2 Dec. 2023
  • If the plant gets leggy, move it to brighter light and pinch it back to encourage fuller growth.
    — Sheryl Geerts, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Sep. 2023
  • Press flat, pinch the middle, and wrap the middle with the remaining piece of felt.
    — Emily Vanschmus, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Nov. 2023
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pinch

2 of 2 noun
  • But, in a pinch, my kids can do the job; try putting an 8-year-old behind the wheel of the plow truck.
    — John Schandelmeier, Anchorage Daily News, 17 Dec. 2022
  • Try a taste, and add a pinch of flaky sea salt if desired.
    — Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Oct. 2023
  • Add the olive oil, vinegar, harissa, and a pinch of salt.
    — Sheryl Julian, BostonGlobe.com, 16 May 2023
  • To add a little heat, a pinch of red pepper flake does the job.
    — Bridgette A. Lacy, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024
  • Mix in brown sugar, a pinch of salt and some fresh thyme leaves.
    — Ella Quittner, New York Times, 29 Nov. 2023
  • Add a pinch of salt to bring out the flavors even more, and bring the mixture to the barest simmer.
    — Olga Massov, Washington Post, 27 Jan. 2024
  • In a pinch, the Fed could simply forgive all or some of this debt.
    — Milton Ezrati, Forbes, 5 Feb. 2023
  • Toss some in your gloves or boots in a pinch and avoid the dangers of frostbite.
    — Collin Morgan, Car and Driver, 4 Jan. 2023
  • To Assemble: In a large bowl, toss the cabbage and kale with the olive oil and a pinch of salt.
    — The View, ABC News, 27 Sep. 2023
  • Plus, there'll be no shortage of green in your house, for a pinch-free St. Patrick's Day.
    — Christina Montoya Fiedler, Woman's Day, 30 Jan. 2023
  • With a hook and loop fastener, the bangles are easy to take on and off in a pinch.
    — Lauren Fischer, Peoplemag, 29 Jan. 2023
  • Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, and then mix the tomato-peach juice with the juice of 1 lemon and a pinch of salt.
    — Antara Sinha, Bon Appétit, 7 Aug. 2023
  • Then they’re added to the mortar with a pinch of salt to create friction.
    — Pat Tanumihardja, Washington Post, 1 Feb. 2023
  • And a good pinch of sugar helps everything caramelize in a pan or the oven.
    — Ali Francis, Bon Appétit, 17 Mar. 2024
  • Season with a large pinch salt and a couple of grinds of pepper.
    — Jamie Schler, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024
  • Her first day on the set of The Good Fight marked another pinch-me moment.
    — Andrea Mandell, Peoplemag, 15 Dec. 2022
  • To finish it off add a hint of vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.
    — Joe Difazio, USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2023
  • Take the peel between your fingers, orange side out, in front of a flame, and pinch.
    — Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 14 Jan. 2023
  • Make it: Drizzle 1/2 cup shelled edamame with a teaspoon of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt.
    — Women's Health, 28 Aug. 2023
  • Add the onion and sauté with a pinch of salt for about 5 minutes, until softened.
    — Elise Taylor, Vogue, 14 Feb. 2023
  • In the morning, add a pinch of salt to a glass of water and drink on an empty stomach.
    — Alessandra Signorelli, Vogue, 18 Mar. 2024
  • So these aren’t heated gloves per se, but these fleece mitts are a way of keeping warm in a pinch.
    — Danny Perez, Popular Mechanics, 9 Dec. 2022
  • Step 2Meanwhile, in large bowl, toss peppers with 1 teaspoon oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper.
    — Tina Martinez, Good Housekeeping, 28 Apr. 2023
  • Looking around the industry, there’s a lot of suction cups, a lot of pinch grasps.
    — IEEE Spectrum, 22 Feb. 2023
  • First, reheat the beans with a glug of olive oil, one bay leaf, a pinch of cumin and, if desired, some red chile flakes.
    — Mahira Rivers, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2023
  • Add the broth or water, lentils and another pinch of salt.
    — G. Daniela Galarza, Washington Post, 26 Jan. 2023
  • In a small bowl, mix the lime juice, garlic, habanero, and a big pinch of salt until the salt dissolves.
    — Todd Kliman, Men's Health, 12 June 2023
  • Whip up single-serving smoothies and juices in a pinch with this easy-to-use blender.
    — John Thompson, Men's Health, 13 Dec. 2022
  • Add a pinch to soups, pasta sauces, marinades, or even dry rubs.
    — Zola Gregory, Bon Appétit, 20 Jan. 2024
  • No one thinks anything will happen to them — a bite will be like a little pinch.
    — Jenny Gold, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2023

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pinch.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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