NYT Dictionary

PINCH

/pɪnt͡ʃ/
VerbNounPINTSHGrade 1

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025

Meaning

To squeeze a small amount of a person's skin and flesh, making it hurt.

Etymology

Origin: Middle English

From Middle English pinchen, from Old Northern French *pinchier (compare Old French pincier, pincer (“to pinch”)), a word of uncertain origin, possibly from Vulgar Latin *pinciāre (“to puncture, pinch”), from a merger of *punctiāre (“to puncture, sting”), from Latin punctiō (“a puncture, prick”) and *piccāre (“to strike, sting”), from Frankish *pikkōn, from Proto-Germanic *pikkōną (“to pick, peck, prick”). More at point, pick and pitch.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

cribpurloinstealabductabstractappropriatebagbanditbash and grabbone

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 2 recorded puzzles:

Join the Spelling Bee Community

Get solving strategies, rare word lists, and puzzle tips in your inbox every week.