Meanings
prepositional phrase
- AustraliaNew ZealandUKidiomaticinformalby a small margin or amount
Synonyms: by the skin of one's teeth, only just
- idiomaticIn an urgent or difficult situation; when no other solution is available.
Synonyms: in a pinch
Synonyms & antonyms
prepositional phraseby a small margin or amount
prepositional phraseIn an urgent or difficult situation; when no other solution is available.
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Also see
Origin
at + a + pinch (“tight squeeze”)
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
at a pinch. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/at%20a%20pinch
MLA
“at a pinch.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/at%20a%20pinch. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “at a pinch,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/at%20a%20pinch.
Source: at a pinch on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.