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Synonyms

feel the pinch

Idioms  

  1. Be affected by hardship, especially straitened finances. For example, This job pays much less, so we're bound to feel the pinch. [Mid-1800s]

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.

“Even when they do start to feel the pinch, they don’t necessarily change their travel behavior, they cut back on other things.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026

Still, sentiment in the oil-related sector deteriorated sharply amid market volatility, signaling that some businesses are starting to feel the pinch from the fallout of the conflict.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

But with the loss of boosts to commercial and sponsorship revenue for the next 12 months and beyond, there is no doubt the FAW will feel the pinch.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

He believes that if the labor market continues to weaken, at some point consumers will feel the pinch, threatening a key pillar of the U.S. economy.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 13, 2026

I could feel the pinch of its heat.

From "The Marrow Thieves" by Cherie Dimaline

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.