pinch-hit
Replace the batter
Pinch-hit comes from baseball, where a pinch hitter bats in place of another player, typically in a crucial moment.
The figurative meaning has spread widely: to pinch-hit is to substitute for someone, usually on short notice: I pinch-hit for my colleague when she got sick.
The noun pinch hitter follows the same pattern.
Temporary substitute person
- stand-inTemporary human placeholder
- backupStored duplicate for recovery
- replacementWhat takes another's place
- understudyBackup actor, ready nightly
reserve · alternate · relief · proxy · deputy · temp · interim · surrogate
Shared seating surface
- lineupOrdered list of participants
- platoonSmall infantry formation
- matchupScheduled competitive pairing
- rosterList of members
call-up · at-bat · situational · manager · strategy
Occurring when appropriate
- decisiveQuick to conclude
- criticalExpressing disapproval or importance
- pivotalVitally important, deciding
- heroicExceptionally brave and noble
high-stakes · pressure · momentous · dramatic · crucial · nail-biting · deliver · opportunity
fill-in
Temporary substitute person
- stand-inTemporary human placeholder
- backupStored duplicate for recovery
- replacementWhat takes another's place
understudy · reserve · alternate · relief · proxy · deputy · temp · interim · surrogate · cover
bench
Shared seating surface
- lineupOrdered list of participants
- platoonSmall infantry formation
- matchupScheduled competitive pairing
roster · call-up · at-bat · situational · manager · strategy
timely
Occurring when appropriate
- decisiveQuick to conclude
- criticalExpressing disapproval or importance
- pivotalVitally important, deciding
heroic · high-stakes · pressure · momentous · dramatic · crucial · nail-biting · deliver · opportunity · do-or-die
- substitutessubstitute, subs, replacement, substitutes, stand-in
- interveneintervene, step in, intercede, mediate, arbitrate