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.
The other justices on the left and center are tougher to pin down.
From Slate • Mar. 30, 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
“Palantir’s story used to be hard to pin down: powerful technology, big claims, and a lot of debate,” he added.
From Barron's • Feb. 3, 2026
It was the right strategic move, helping the Soviets pin down Nazi divisions in the east while the Brits and Americans devised a plan of attack in the west.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 2, 2026
Percy didn’t think that was it, but he couldn’t pin down the memory.
From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan
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.
