Phrase guide

feel the pinch

verb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To suffer a hardship, especially significant financial pressure.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, informal

Examples

  • Working-class families are feeling the pinch in the wake of the recession.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

10 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 手頭拮据 /手头拮据 (shǒutóu jiéjū) — to suffer a hardship
  • Finnish: tuntea nahoissaan — to suffer a hardship
  • French: peiner à joindre les deux bouts — to suffer a hardship
  • French: devoir se serrer la ceinture — to suffer a hardship
  • Italian: essere con l'acqua alla gola — to suffer a hardship
  • Polish: odczuwać niedobór — to suffer a hardship
  • Polish: odczuć niedobór — to suffer a hardship
  • Russian: испы́тывать тру́дности — to suffer a hardship
  • Russian: находи́ться в затрудни́тельном положе́нии (naxodítʹsja v zatrudnítelʹnom položénii) — to suffer a hardship
  • Spanish: pasarlo mal, pasarlas canutas — to suffer a hardship