in a pinch
idiom
US
: in a bad situation when help is needed
I can help out in a pinch if you need a babysitter.
In a pinch, you can substitute another ingredient in the recipe.
Examples of in a pinch in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
While most smartphones support cable-free charging, wireless chargers aren’t widely available in public spaces for when consumers might need to power up their phones in a pinch, Blackard said.
—
Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2025
Buy now, pay later, for all of its ease and utility in a pinch, has nonetheless triggered warnings from regulators, lawmakers and financial experts.
—Samantha Wei, NBC news, 14 Sep. 2025
If so, its still a quick and clever method for styling a bun in a pinch.
—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 12 Sep. 2025
In fact, my nine-year-old still uses it without the valve in a pinch.
—Emily Farris, Bon Appetit Magazine, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for in a pinch
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Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2025
Buy now, pay later, for all of its ease and utility in a pinch, has nonetheless triggered warnings from regulators, lawmakers and financial experts.
—Samantha Wei, NBC news, 14 Sep. 2025
If so, its still a quick and clever method for styling a bun in a pinch.
—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 12 Sep. 2025
In fact, my nine-year-old still uses it without the valve in a pinch.
—Emily Farris, Bon Appetit Magazine, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for in a pinch
Cite this Entry
“In a pinch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20a%20pinch. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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