1 cinch | Definition of cinch

cinch

noun
\ ˈsinch How to pronounce cinch (audio) \

Definition of cinch

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a strap that holds a saddle on a horse
2 : a tight grip
3a : a thing done with ease Getting reelected would be a cinch for him.
b : a certainty to happen it's a cinch he'll break the record

cinch

verb
cinched; cinching; cinches

Definition of cinch (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to put a cinch on cinch a horse
b : to fasten (something, such as a belt or strap) tightly He cinched his belt tight.
2 : to make certain : assure the goal that cinched the victory

intransitive verb

: to tighten the cinch often used with up cinched up before mounting his horse

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Examples of cinch in a Sentence

Noun

This recipe is a cinch. This dish is a cinch to make.

Verb

The coat is cinched at the waist. The rider cinched the saddle. The candidate cinched the nomination by winning the major primary elections. The home run cinched the victory.
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Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

These, from Pike Trail, have a great pull over design and a cinch top to make sure everything stays out. James Lynch, Popular Mechanics, "How To Camp in the Rain Like a Pro," 5 Aug. 2019 If that's a cinch, go even bolder with your pigment and use a true grassy green for maximum impact. Maya Mcdowell, Marie Claire, "The Buzziest Beauty Microtrends of Summer 2019," 24 July 2019 With their cinch waists and strong shoulders, the bar suits have all become iconic, along with those distinctive wide-brim chapeaus. Vogue, "Elle Fanning Delivers a Lesson in French Fashion History at Cannes," 21 May 2019 The Giants’ rotation is in flux, but Madison Bumgarner would be a cinch to start a wild-card game if his schedule allows. Bruce Jenkins, SFChronicle.com, "Starting a relief pitcher: Still an undesirable novelty," 2 Aug. 2019 It's got a creamy, matte consistency and a sharp tip that makes precise application a cinch. Lindsay Schallon, Glamour, "5 Cult Favorite Lipstick Shades That Truly Look Awesome on Everyone," 1 Aug. 2019 Luis Arraez, 22, playing for $555,000 this season, seems a cinch to start at second base for the Twins next year, replacing Jonathan Schoop, 27, who is being paid $7.5 million and can become a free agent. Charley Walters, Twin Cities, "Charley Walters: Higher payroll with more wins is ‘part of the deal’ for Twins’ Pohlad," 27 July 2019 The planet outshines all of the stars, making it a cinch to locate. Arnold Pearlstein, sun-sentinel.com, "The Stars This Week: July 21-27," 21 July 2019 If Baker balks, overriding him should be a cinch in the Legislature. Jon Chesto, BostonGlobe.com, "Bill nearing finish line on Beacon Hill would soften blow of high court’s ruling on union dues," 10 July 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Detroit is a majority-black city, and the largest in a state President Trump won by a little over 10,000 votes, which helped him cinch the 2016 election. Philip Elliott, Time, "Joe Biden is Ready for a Debate Rematch. This Time He's in a Fighting Mood.," 31 July 2019 With the plastic canopy cinched down and the LT-5 grumbling at idle, the Corvette Indy feels more like a fighter plane than a car, pretty much what its designers had in mind. Tony Swan, Popular Mechanics, "A Closer Look at Chevy's Mid-Engine Corvette...From 1988?," 19 July 2019 It's recently cinched big titles like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Pretty Little Liars, as well as (most painfully for Netflix, which paid $100 million last December to keep it for just one more year) Friends. Isaac Feldberg, Fortune, "‘Doctor Who’ Will Stream Exclusively on HBO Max," 1 Aug. 2019 With me beneath the lights are 11 other humans, each cinched into an exoskeleton of their own that's connected to the rafters by a tether. Michael Calore, WIRED, "Strap on Your Exoskeleton and Dance, Dance, Dance," 30 July 2019 Kourtney's netted, sheer dress featured neon orange pipping details and a matching belt cinched in her tiny waist. Marina Liao, Marie Claire, "Kourtney Kardashian Parties in a Stunning Naked Dress in Mexico," 28 Aug. 2018 After closing the original Noma in 2016 and re-opening it in 2018 in a new location and with a new menu tied more closely to the seasons, Redzepi and his team are again among the favorites to cinch first place on the prestigious list. Lisa Abend, Time, "Why The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2019 List Is More Controversial Than Ever," 21 June 2019 She is draped on a chair, wearing a fashionable dress with a bodice cinched to her waist and a voluminous skirt lavishly sweeping the floor. Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, "The Haunted Image of Harriet Tubman on the Twenty-Dollar Bill," 18 June 2019 There were shirtdresses cinched tight with a belt, plus pussybow blouses, stiletto heels, sharp shoulders and at least one evening gown with a cape-style bodice. Washington Post, "Trump’s catastrophic fashion choices in England were not just a sign of bad taste," 6 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cinch.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of cinch

Noun

1859, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1866, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

History and Etymology for cinch

Noun and Verb

Spanish cincha, from Latin cingula girdle, girth, from cingere — more at cincture

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More Definitions for cinch

cinch

noun

English Language Learners Definition of cinch

 (Entry 1 of 2)

informal : something that is very easy to do
chiefly US, informal used to say that something will certainly happen or that someone will easily do something
US : a strap that holds a saddle on a horse

cinch

verb

English Language Learners Definition of cinch (Entry 2 of 2)

US