pin down
verb
pinned down; pinning down; pins down
1
: to cause or force (someone) to make a definite statement or decision about something
Reporters tried to pin him down on the specific changes he wants to make to the tax laws.
2
: to find out (something) with certainty
Can you pin down when the change occurred?
I'm trying to pin the source of the problem down.
Examples of pin down in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Powered by our constant influx of immigrants and shaped by the steady pulse of youth culture, American style is as tricky to pin down as American-ness itself.
—
Faran Krentcil,
InStyle,
1 July 2026
Neil Clifford pinned down the company’s chief to get career advice—and immediately took it, saying yes to moving to a whole new city for a promotion.
—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
1 July 2026
Trump praises Zelensky Western officials and analysts say Ukraine’s prospects have improved after more than four years of a grueling war of attrition as its domestic development and production of cutting-edge drones pin down the bigger Russian army.
—
Illia Novikov,
Los Angeles Times,
25 June 2026
Since the power couple’s engagement last year, everyone and their mother has tried to pin down the details surrounding the big day, causing loads of rumors and intense speculation.
—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for pin down
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.
Faran Krentcil,
InStyle,
1 July 2026
Neil Clifford pinned down the company’s chief to get career advice—and immediately took it, saying yes to moving to a whole new city for a promotion.
—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
1 July 2026
Trump praises Zelensky Western officials and analysts say Ukraine’s prospects have improved after more than four years of a grueling war of attrition as its domestic development and production of cutting-edge drones pin down the bigger Russian army.
—
Illia Novikov,
Los Angeles Times,
25 June 2026
Since the power couple’s engagement last year, everyone and their mother has tried to pin down the details surrounding the big day, causing loads of rumors and intense speculation.
—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for pin down
Cite this Entry
“Pin down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pin%20down. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
