Meaning & use
cinch
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Meanings
nounsingularinformal
A task that is very easy, or an outcome that seems certain.
Grammar: Used with a: it is a cinch.
Patterns
- be a cinch
- a cinch to do something
The test was a cinch after all that practice.
With that lead, winning is a cinch.
Setting up the router was a cinch.
verbtransitiveinformal
To make something certain or secure, especially a victory or a deal.
Grammar: Takes an object: cinch the title.
Patterns
- cinch something
Her last goal cinched the win.
The new contract cinched the deal.
A late hit cinched the championship.
verbtransitive
To pull a belt or strap tight around something.
Grammar: Takes an object, often with in or up: cinch up the strap.
Patterns
- cinch something up
- cinch something in
She cinched the belt tighter around her waist.
He cinched up the saddle strap.
The dress is cinched at the waist.
nouncountableAmerican
A strap that goes under a horse's belly to hold the saddle in place.
Grammar: Countable: tighten the cinch.
Patterns
- tighten the cinch
He tightened the cinch before mounting.
The cinch was worn and loose.
A broken cinch dropped the saddle.
Word forms
| plural | cinches |
|---|---|
| third person singular | cinches |
| past tense | cinched |
| -ing form | cinching |
Common combinations
- a cinch to
- It is a cinch to bake.
- pretty much a cinch
- The job is pretty much a cinch.
- cinch up
- Cinch up the bag.
- cinch the win
- A goal cinched the win.
- cinch a belt
- He cinched a belt tightly.
Synonyms and how they differ
- breeze
- A breeze is also very easy but feels a bit lighter in tone.
- snap
- A snap is a quick, simple task, more American.
- walkover
- A walkover is an easy win in a contest, not any easy task.
- piece of cake
- A piece of cake is a longer idiom meaning the same, though it is a little more playful.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: cinch or sync? cinch or inch?
cinch vs sync
Sync (short for synchronize) sounds similar, but it means to make things match in time.
cinch vs inch
An inch is a unit of length, and it looks and sounds close to cinch.
Practice
Which sentence uses cinch to mean something very easy?
Choose one answer.
A cinch here means an easy task. The other options use the verb senses of tightening or securing.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “cinch”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.