"A stitch in time saves nine" is a proverb.
Source: tatoeba (73599)
Stitch
/stɪt͡ʃ/
Synonyms for "stitch" (240 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (48)
Strong matches (72)
Related words (120)
modicummoietymorceaumorselmortisenailneckneedleneedlepointnippangparingparoxysmparticlepatchpegpicotpiecepinpinch
Show 65 more words
pivotpivot jointprickrabbetrasherrivetscarfscoopscrapscrewseamseizuresewsew upshardsharp painshavingshivershootshootingshooting painshouldershredskewerslicesliversmithereensnacksnapsnatchsnicksnipsnippetspasmsplinterstabstabbing painstaplestickstockinettestrokestumpsuturesymphysistacktagtailortatterthrillthroestie rodtoggletoggle jointtormentrebletweaktwingetwitchunionwedgeweldwhipstitchwrenchwristzipper
Noun(24 words)
Adjective(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: access, ache, ache, acute pain, ankle.
- Sentence evidence is available for stitch, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from derived_reverse, moby, opengloss, wordnet, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "stitch".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "stitch"
Keep "stitch" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "stitch" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "stitch", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "stitch" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
18 entriesShowing 16 of 18 words.
More specific
13 entriesCollocations
10 entriesbackstitchbasting stitchcross stitchhand stitchmachine stitchrunning stitchstitch by handstitch togetherstitch upstitching technique
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
4 entriesTranslations
62 translations across 41 languages.
Arabic
2 entries- غرْزة noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
- غَرَزَة noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
Armenian
2 entries- հատ noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
- օղակ noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
Azerbaijani
1 entries- tikiş noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
Bulgarian
3 entries- бод noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
- плетка noun (arrangement of stitches or method of stitching in knitting)
- шев noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
Catalan
1 entries- punt noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
Central Kurdish
1 entries- تەقەڵ noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
Chinese Mandarin
1 entries- 缝针 noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
Czech
1 entries- steh noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
Danish
1 entries- sting noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
Dutch
1 entries- steek noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
Finnish
3 entries- kudos noun (arrangement of stitches or method of stitching in knitting)
- pisto noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
- tikki noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
French
1 entries- point noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
Galician
2 entries- puntada noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
- punto noun (arrangement of stitches or method of stitching in knitting)
German
2 entries- Stich noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
- Strickmuster noun (arrangement of stitches or method of stitching in knitting)
Greek
2 entries- βελονιά noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
- πλέξη noun (arrangement of stitches or method of stitching in knitting)
Hindi
1 entries- सिलाई noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
Hungarian
1 entries- öltés noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
Ido
1 entries- sutuno noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
Irish
1 entries- greim noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
Italian
1 entries- punto noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
Macedonian
2 entries- бод noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
- пле́тка noun (arrangement of stitches or method of stitching in knitting)
Manx
4 entries- lhoob noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
- lhoob noun (arrangement of stitches or method of stitching in knitting)
- whaaley noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
- whaaley noun (arrangement of stitches or method of stitching in knitting)
Middle English
1 entries- stiche noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
Māori
1 entries- tuinga noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
Northern Kurdish
2 entries- dirwar noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
- kêl noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
Ottoman Turkish
1 entries- دیكیش noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
Persian
1 entries- کوک noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
Polish
3 entries- splot noun (arrangement of stitches or method of stitching in knitting)
- ścieg noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
- ścieg noun (arrangement of stitches or method of stitching in knitting)
Portuguese
2 entries- ponto noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
- ponto noun (arrangement of stitches or method of stitching in knitting)
Russian
3 entries- пе́тля noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
- петля́ noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
- стежо́к noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
Southern Kurdish
1 entries- تەقەڵ noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
Spanish
2 entries- puntada noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
- punto noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
Swedish
2 entries- stickning noun (arrangement of stitches or method of stitching in knitting)
- stygn noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
Tamil
1 entries- தையல் noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
Telugu
1 entries- కుట్టు noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
Tibetan
1 entries- ཚེམ་བུ noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
Turkish
1 entries- dikiş noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
Ukrainian
1 entries- стібо́к noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
Vietnamese
1 entries- mũi khâu noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
Volapük
1 entries- näg noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
Walloon
1 entries- pont noun (single pass of the needle in sewing)
Sample sentences
46 total sentences available.
You'll learn in time that a stitch in time saves nine.
Source: tatoeba (255020)
He didn't do a stitch of work.
Source: tatoeba (299588)
A stitch in time saves nine.
Source: tatoeba (406986)
Showing 4 of 46 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "stitch"?
Closest matches include access, ache, ache, acute pain, ankle.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "stitch"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.