inclined; inclining
1
: to bend the head or body forward : bow
2
: to lean, tend, or become drawn toward an opinion or course of conduct
There are two or three essays I might write and almost incline to write …—
Robert Frost
Robert Frost3
: to deviate from a line, direction, or course
specifically
: to deviate from the vertical or horizontal
1
: to cause to stoop or bow : bend
2
: to have influence on : persuade
His love of books inclined him toward a literary career.
3
: to give a bend or slant to
incliner
noun
Examples of incline in a Sentence
Verb
She listened with her eyes closed and her head inclined.
The road inclines at an angle of about 12 degrees.
His love of books inclined him toward a literary career.
Noun
We drove up a steep incline to the summit.
You can adjust the incline of the ramp.
Recent Examples on the Web
Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 7 Apr. 2026
Correcting The Corrections has since become something of an in-joke for those of us inclined toward prestige drama—on page, and onscreen.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 3 Apr. 2026
Camp Jeep is another main attraction, which allows riders to experience a thrilling 28-foot incline and other obstacles in a Jeep driven by a professional driver.
—Charles Singh, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for incline
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Verb
But Grunvald said overall, obesity medicine specialists like him will still be inclined to prescribe injections over oral drugs, in part because the shots are more effective.
—Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 7 Apr. 2026
Correcting The Corrections has since become something of an in-joke for those of us inclined toward prestige drama—on page, and onscreen.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
Noun
The seven-mile Torreya Challenge Loop steadily climbs and dips, meandering over creeks, an old forest road, and blackberry brambles, following a ridge where mountain laurels bloom in the spring, and visitors can find the steepest incline in the park.
—Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 3 Apr. 2026
Camp Jeep is another main attraction, which allows riders to experience a thrilling 28-foot incline and other obstacles in a Jeep driven by a professional driver.
—Charles Singh, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for incline
Cite this Entry
“Incline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incline. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
incline
1 of 2 verb
in·cline
in-ˈklīn 
inclined; inclining
1
: to bend the head or body forward : bow
2
: to be drawn to an opinion or course of action
inclined to go swimming
4
: to cause to bend, bow, or slant
5
: to have influence on : persuade
my teacher's example inclined me to become a teacher too
inclinable
adjective
in-ˈklī-nə-bəl
incline
2 of 2 noun
in·cline
ˈin-ˌklīn
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