Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

in a pinch

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.76 in modern English

Syllables: in- a pinch
IPA

15

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

prep_phrase

In an urgent or difficult situation; when no other solution is available.

Example Sentences

"It's not a great fashion statement, but in a pinch a large trash bag will keep you dry."

Synonyms

when push comes to shove when the chips are down when the gloves come off at a pinch

Questions

What does in a pinch mean?: In an urgent or difficult situation; when no other solution is available.

How to pronounce in a pinch

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “in a pinch”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
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Repeat and practice — Say “in a pinch” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.