pin down
Britishverb
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to force (someone) to make a decision or carry out a promise
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to define clearly
he had a vague suspicion that he couldn't quite pin down
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to confine to a place
the fallen tree pinned him down
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Fix or establish clearly, as in The firefighters finally were able to pin down the source of the odor . [Mid-1900s]
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Force someone to give precise information or opinions, as in The reporter pinned down the governor on the issue of conservation measures . [c. 1700]
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.
He is not easily categorized as a political actor, and that ambiguity is precisely what makes him so difficult to pin down — and so easy to amplify.
From Salon • Apr. 6, 2026
Color also proves surprisingly difficult to pin down in words.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026
Bergström's colleague Dr Pontus Skoglund is now analysing ancient wolf DNA from across the globe to pin down that historic moment.
From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026
I spoke with numerous sources in Long Island politics to pin down just where this wall might begin.
From Slate • Dec. 29, 2025
“No words in any language can pin down exactly how life and death function. The closest we can come is by explaining samsara. Are you familiar with the concept?” asked Wish.
From "Aru Shah and the End of Time" by Roshani Chokshi
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.
