pinch hitter

noun

: one that pinch-hits

Synonyms

• backup
• cover
• designated hitter
• fill-in
• locum tenens
• relief
• replacement
• reserve
• stand-in
• sub
• substitute

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

After the two hits, the next 17 Royals were retired until pinch hitter Nelson Velazquez punched a single through the left side with one out in the ninth. —Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 22 June 2024

North Carolina pinch hitter Jackson Van De Brake, who came into the tournament batting .194, led off by slicing a double down the right field line. —Gene Schinzel, Washington Post, 15 June 2024

Toronto scored its first run Friday immediately after Stroman exited, with pinch hitter Ernie Clement — a native of Rochester, N.Y. — leading off the seventh inning with a home run against Yankees reliever Caleb Ferguson. —Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 5 Apr. 2024

All nine starters plus Max Kepler, who entered late as a pinch hitter, drove in at least one run in the win. —Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 12 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined above

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