pin down
verb
pinned down; pinning down; pins down
1
: to cause or force (someone) to make a definite statement or decision about something
Reporters tried to pin him down on the specific changes he wants to make to the tax laws.
2
: to find out (something) with certainty
Can you pin down when the change occurred?
I'm trying to pin the source of the problem down.
Examples of pin down in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
At a certain point, pinning down who is the subject and who is the object of the misogyny in this song becomes dizzying.
—
Shana Naomi Krochmal, Vulture, 4 Apr. 2025
Once pinned down, the wasp then laid its eggs inside its prey.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 27 Mar. 2025
But even pinned down, Augustin reportedly latched onto his sister’s hair and pants, refusing to release his grip as authorities arrived.
—Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 14 Mar. 2025
In our polarized political moment, the comedian is pointedly hard to pin down.
—Jason Zinoman, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pin down
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Shana Naomi Krochmal, Vulture, 4 Apr. 2025
Once pinned down, the wasp then laid its eggs inside its prey.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 27 Mar. 2025
But even pinned down, Augustin reportedly latched onto his sister’s hair and pants, refusing to release his grip as authorities arrived.
—Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 14 Mar. 2025
In our polarized political moment, the comedian is pointedly hard to pin down.
—Jason Zinoman, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pin down
Cite this Entry
“Pin down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pin%20down. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share