pinch hitter

noun

: one that pinch-hits

Synonyms of pinch hitter

• replacement
• substitute
• backup

Examples of pinch hitter in a Sentence

the business owners brought in a pinch hitter until a permanent manager could be hired

Recent Examples on the Web

Francisco Alvarez had been 0 for 28 in his big league career as a pinch hitter before his eighth-inning single. —Cbs New York Team, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026

The club has five starting-caliber outfielders and can only play four at a time, and since four of those outfielders also bat left-handed, the Red Sox can’t even set up a platoon or effectively deploy pinch hitters late in game. —Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 19 Apr. 2026

Johnathan Rodríguez's sacrifice fly off Erik Sabrowski (0-1) made it 4-1 and pinch hitter Weston Wilson roped a two-run double to get the Orioles within one. —ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026

After Bird walked Otto Lopez and hit pinch hitter Griffin Conine on the left foot, Pauley batted for Connor Norby. —Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for pinch hitter

• embitter
• emitter
• outfitter
• remitter
• submitter
• transmitter
• babysitter
• bitter
• critter
• fitter
• fritter
• glitter

Kids Definition

pinch hitter

noun

1

: a baseball player sent in to bat for another especially when a hit is needed

2

: a person called upon to do another's work in an emergency

pinch-hit

(ˈ)pinch-ˈhit

verb