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Definition of pinched

pinched

/pɪntʃt/
pinched

Past Simple:pinched
•
Past Participle:pinched
•
Present Participle:pinching
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pinched Lexical Profile

pinched Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Compressed, squeezed, or narrowed tightly between two surfaces or points.

Example

"Physical therapy helped relieve the sharp pain caused by a pinched nerve in his lower back."


2

Appearing drawn, thin, or shrunken, typically as a result of cold, hunger, fatigue, or anxiety (especially of a person's face or features).

Example

"The exhausted travelers returned with pale, pinched faces after spending hours in the freezing wind."


3

Restricted or distressed by a lack of money, time, or other necessary resources.

Example

"Many small businesses felt financially pinched during the prolonged economic downturn."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• verb

1

To grip or squeeze something tightly, typically between the thumb and a finger (past tense and past participle of pinch).

Example

"She gently pinched the edges of the pastry dough together to seal the pie before baking."

Synonyms
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• Rhymes for pinched

Word Origin & Etymology

Derived from the verb 'pinch' (Middle English 'pinchen', from Old Northern French 'pinchier', meaning 'to nip or squeeze') combined with the English participial and adjectival suffix '-ed'.

Cite this Entry


Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Pinched. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/pinched
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