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
But how many go on to develop bigorexia is harder to pin down.
—
Michal Ruprecht, NPR, 14 Jan. 2026
Move about at home Mobility issues outside of high risk areas can be harder to pin down.
—Lesly Gregory, AJC.com, 14 Jan. 2026
Loneliness is a feeling, which can make the source of it hard to pin down.
—Jenny Singer, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2026
His criticism is as consistent and considered as his moods and feelings—just pinned down and (often beautifully) articulated.
—Literary Hub, 22 Dec. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Pin down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pin%20down. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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