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Synonyms

pinch hitter

American  

noun

  1. Baseball. a substitute who bats for a teammate, often at a critical moment of the game.

  2. any substitute for another, especially in an emergency.

pinch hitter Idioms  

  1. A substitute for another person, especially in an emergency. For example, Pat expected her mother to help with the baby, but just in case, she lined up her mother-in-law as pinch hitter. This expression comes from baseball, where it is used for a player substituting for another at bat at a critical point or in a tight situation (called a pinch since the late 1400s). [Late 1800s]

Etymology

Origin of pinch hitter

An Americanism dating back to 1910–15

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 celebrated his 28th birthday on Friday by entering in the seventh inning as a pinch hitter and banging a game-tying single on his first-ever postseason swing.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 11, 2025

Miguel Rojas, an infielder, was deployed as a pinch hitter in the top of the eighth inning and remained in the game at shortstop.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 30, 2025

And in true fashion, Angels World Series MVP Troy Glaus made a surprise cameo as a pinch hitter.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 1, 2025

Hoskins would be a DH or pinch hitter only and would not play first base.

From Washington Times • Sep. 27, 2023

If it weren’t for my speller, I’d have to use replacement or stand-in or pinch hitter instead.

From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner

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.