1 B2 neutral
to remove a small piece by pressing and separating it with the fingers
"Pinch off a small piece of dough and roll it into a ball."
separable
pinch off
B2 neutral separable transitive
to remove or separate a small piece by squeezing it with the fingers
In plain English
to take off a small bit with your fingers
What does "pinch off" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 neutral
to stop the growth of a plant by removing the top part with the fingers
"Gardeners often pinch off the dead flowers to encourage new blooms."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
to squeeze something until it comes off
Actually means
to take off a small bit with your fingers
Usage tip
Common in cooking, gardening, and craft contexts.
Words that pair with "pinch off"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
a piece the dough a leaf the tip a stem
How to conjugate "pinch off"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
pinch off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
pinches off
he/she/it
Past simple
pinched off
yesterday
Past participle
pinched off
have + pp
-ing form
pinching off
continuous
Hear "pinch off" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "pinch off" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "pinch off"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.