Pinch Hit Definition & Meaning

American

British

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Synonyms pinch hit 1 American

noun

Baseball.

1. a hit made by a pinch hitter.

pinch-hit 2 American [pinch-hit] / ˈpɪntʃˈhɪt /

verb (used without object)

pinch-hit, pinch-hitting

1. Baseball. to serve as a pinch hitter.

2. Informal. to substitute for someone, especially in an emergency.

verb (used with object)

pinch-hit, pinch-hitting

1. Baseball. to get, or make (a hit) in pinch-hitting.

pinch-hit British

verb

1. baseball to bat as a substitute for the scheduled batter

2. informal to act as a substitute

3. cricket (of a batsman in a limited-overs match) to bat aggressively at the start of an innings in order to take advantage of fielding restrictions

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

• pinch hitter noun

Etymology

Origin of pinch hit1

First recorded in 1910–15

Origin of pinch-hit2

1930–35, back formation from pinch hitter

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The Mariners did not have a left-handed hitter available on the bench to pinch hit in that situation.

From Seattle Times

The Nats brought in former Mariner Jesse Winker to pinch hit.

From Seattle Times

Servais couldn’t call on Raleigh fast enough to pinch hit for backup catcher Seby Zavala.

From Seattle Times

But when his next turn at the plate came, Josh Rojas pinch hit for him.

From Seattle Times

Current Mariner Mitch Garver was on the Twins roster for that game and pinch hit.

From Seattle Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.