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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

Etymology

Origin of pinch hit¹

First recorded in 1910–15

Origin of pinch-hit²

1930–35, back formation from pinch hitter

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pinch hit pinch-hit pinch-hitting

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

Thomson has been more cagey of late about Hoskins’ status, though the first baseman would be unable to do anything but pinch hit.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 15, 2023

He was replaced on the mound by Tyler Anderson and Nolan Schanuel came in to pinch hit for him.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2023

"Here's where I make a pinch hit, then," said the mayor sharply.

From Jimmy Kirkland and the Plot for a Pennant by Fullerton, Hugh S.

Utility man Tommy Edman’s pinch-hit homer in the eighth tied the score, but with two men on, Ohtani struck out and Andy Pages popped out against Yankees closer David Bednar.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026

And in the eighth, the right-handed hitting Rojas pinch-hit for Alex Freeland against Diamondbacks left-hander Brandyn Garcia.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2026

Roberts left open the possibility of a pinch-hit appearance Thursday with the game on the line.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 4, 2026

By the time the inning ended, a pair of Los Angeles relievers had let nine runs cross the plate, punctuated by Addison Barger’s pinch-hit grand slam, the first in World Series history.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2025

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

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

Heyward was reduced to a pinch-hitting role when Mookie Betts moved from shortstop back to right field upon returning from a left-hand fracture on Aug. 12.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2024

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

From New York Times ● May 9, 2024

DeWine set the next meeting for Wednesday afternoon, then he came down with COVID-19 — precluding him from pinch-hitting as chair while Senate President Matt Huffman and House Speaker Jason Stephens came to some agreement.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 20, 2023

“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 Mathewson, Christy