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• pinch hit
  pinch hit

  noun

  a hit made by a pinch hitter.
• pinch-hit
  pinch-hit

  verb (used without object)

  to serve as a pinch hitter.

pinch hit

¹ American  

noun

Baseball.

1. a hit made by a pinch hitter.

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pinch-hit ² American  

[pinch-hit] / ˈpɪntʃˈhɪt /

verb (used without object)

pinch-hit, pinch-hitting

1. Baseball. to serve as a pinch hitter.

2. Informal. to substitute for someone, especially in an emergency.

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verb (used with object)

pinch-hit, pinch-hitting

1. Baseball. to get, or make (a hit) in pinch-hitting.

pinch-hit British  

verb

1. baseball to bat as a substitute for the scheduled batter

2. informal to act as a substitute

3. cricket (of a batsman in a limited-overs match) to bat aggressively at the start of an innings in order to take advantage of fielding restrictions

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Other Word Forms

• pinch hitter
  noun

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Etymology

Origin of pinch hit¹

First recorded in 1910–15

Origin of pinch-hit²

1930–35, back formation from pinch hitter

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pinch hit pinch-hit pinch-hitting

Then Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had left-handed hitting Max Muncy pinch hit for center fielder Andy Pages.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026

And while lower courts have judges who can pinch hit, the Supreme Court doesn’t.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

If Scott had thrown a scoreless inning and sent the game into the 10th, Roberts planned to have Ohtani pinch hit for Miguel Rojas, the third batter due up.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2026

Current Mariner Mitch Garver was on the Twins roster for that game and pinch hit.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 20, 2024

"Well, put a watch mark on your arm, sailor, and put it there pronto, or you'll be needing an understudy to pinch hit for you."

From Biltmore Oswald The Diary of a Hapless Recruit by Dick Dorgan

The most poignant portrait is that of Dale Mitchell, whom the Dodgers sent up to pinch-hit with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026

It wasn’t a full day off, as Smith pinch-hit for Hunter Feduccia in the ninth and scored the Dodgers’ run in the 10th.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026

It spoiled Max Muncy’s pinch-hit home run in the sixth inning that staked Díaz to a 4-2 lead.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

Rojas, who pinch-hit for Alex Freeland in the bottom of the seventh and homered to center, was more measured as he crossed the plate without any antics.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026

He was called off the bench to pinch-hit with two outs in the ninth, two Dodgers on base after walks, and the enemy leading by one run.

From "In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson" by Bette Bao Lord

Then in the top of the seventh inning, the Dodgers loaded the bases with a single from Teoscar Hernández, a walk from pinch-hitting rookie Josue De Paula, and a five-pitch walk from Kyle Tucker.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026

Rookie Josue De Paula, up for a pinch-hitting role, is set to join the team Tuesday, Roberts said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026

Openers Phil Salt and Will Jacks combined for 39, but both struggled to unleash their trademark bombastic pinch-hitting and they fell in quick succession, skying catches off the bowling of Jayden Seales.

From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2024

Occasionally it’s pinch-hitting for substance, mere showiness with nothing behind it.

From New York Times ● May 9, 2024

“Doc” Scanlon was pitching for Brooklyn, and, evidently intimidated by Sam’s pinch-hitting reputation or something, suddenly became wild and gave the Giant batter three balls.

From Pitching in a Pinch or, Baseball from the Inside by Christy Mathewson

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