as in substitutes
a person or thing that takes the place of another
the business owners brought in a pinch hitter until a permanent manager could be hired
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pinch hitters
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
Agnifilo, Kaplan and Geragos are joining Weinstein’s team as pinch hitters ahead of his next appearance in Manhattan Supreme Court on March 4, with a trial date still to be set for the outstanding third-degree rape charge concerning an alleged assault on aspiring actor Jessica Mann in 2013.
—Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 26 Feb. 2026
The Jays used four pinch hitters and defensive substitutions.
—Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 22 Sep. 2025
There’s also pressure on the bench because teammates, like pinch hitters, never know when they may be subbed in.
—Candace Oehler, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 19 Apr. 2026
Agnifilo, Kaplan and Geragos are joining Weinstein’s team as pinch hitters ahead of his next appearance in Manhattan Supreme Court on March 4, with a trial date still to be set for the outstanding third-degree rape charge concerning an alleged assault on aspiring actor Jessica Mann in 2013.
—Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 26 Feb. 2026
The Jays used four pinch hitters and defensive substitutions.
—Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 22 Sep. 2025
There’s also pressure on the bench because teammates, like pinch hitters, never know when they may be subbed in.
—Candace Oehler, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pinch hitters
Noun
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Following the report, the teacher, who last worked for the district on April 2, was removed from the district’s list of available substitutes.—
Brittany Miller,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
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One patient born without an olfactory bulb could smell because other parts of her brain remolded to serve as substitutes.—
Yasemin Saplakoglu,
Quanta Magazine,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The company has received 5,952 reports involving DC-DC converter replacements, but these have resulted in no accidents or injuries.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
27 Apr. 2026
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By addressing messes quickly and effectively, these types of products can help prevent stains, odors, and wear that often lead to deeper cleaning, repairs, or replacements.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The stickers are also used as backups in case the main, larger tags applied around handles fall off or are damaged.—
Joey Skladany,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Apr. 2026
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Right now, backups at the exit spilling out onto I-70 can create dangerous conditions.—
Spencer Wilson,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pinch hitters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pinch%20hitters. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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