inch 1 of 2

1
2
as in stage
an individual part of a process, series, or ranking inch by inch, we're making progress toward our fund-raising goal

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in height
inches plural the distance of something or someone from bottom to top made the most of her inches by standing on her tiptoes to reach the top shelf

Synonyms & Similar Words

inch

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to encroach
to advance gradually beyond the usual or desirable limits every year the water inches further up the embankments, threatening to permanently engulf the island city

Synonyms & Similar Words

2

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of inch
Noun
The tail of the gecko is slightly longer than the rest of the body — 1.1 inches long compared to a body length of 1 inch – accounting for half of the animal’s total size, researchers said. Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 30 July 2025 Scheffler made eight birdies on another wild afternoon of weather at Royal Portrush, and his 15-foot attempt on the 18th stopped inches short of another. Doug Ferguson, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 July 2025
Verb
After dipping and soaring over the past several weeks, prices have inched up this week. Miami Herald, 28 July 2025 Three agreements and four memorandums of understanding were signed with a country that had once been seen as inching into China's orbit. Danish Manzoor Bhat, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for inch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inch
Noun
  • Try taking small steps to challenge your own avoidance by giving yourself permission to poop in a public restroom, or talking to your friend about your GI struggles.
    Sarah Garone, Health, 30 July 2025
  • Lawmakers were demanding to know why the lottery had not taken steps to prevent third-party vendors known as couriers from brokering the sale of game tickets through smartphone apps, even though state law expressly forbids buying and selling lottery tickets by phone.
    John C. Moritz, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
Noun
  • Live, in-store performances and tapings will level up with new equipment and the remodeled stage will feature historic flooring from the original Austin City Limits Studio 6A space, donated by KLRU.
    Mars Salazar, Austin American Statesman, 29 July 2025
  • Meditation exercises can set the stage for a good night’s sleep, and an inexpensive noise machine can help with relaxing sounds.
    Sharon Basaraba, Verywell Health, 28 July 2025
Noun
  • Residents can check wave height predictions by viewing the NWS Great Lakes Portal, which updates wave heights, wind gusts and air temperature forecasts.
    Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 31 July 2025
  • The additional height — up to a maximum of 90 feet — and greater density would be in exchange for the developer setting aside 10% to 12% of the new units at below-market rents.
    Shonda Novak, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
Verb
  • China accused those vessels of entering the waters illegally or encroaching on its territory.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 23 July 2025
  • Perhaps never has another film captured the simultaneous horror and hilarity of modern American living than this singular masterpiece, which remains as galvanizing and astute—and irresolvable—as ever, a rollicking kaleidoscope that gradually becomes a depiction of encroaching political violence.
    Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 18 July 2025
Verb
  • Pitmaster Roy Perez ceremoniously dragged a metal tub of hot coals up Commerce Street to transfer the fire from the old pits to the new ones.
    Robert F. Moss, Southern Living, 23 July 2025
  • Charlie's sudden, grotesque exit becomes the catalyst for the rest of the film, dragging her family down a relentless tailspin of grief (and ancestral demons).
    James Mercadante, EW.com, 23 July 2025
Noun
  • One wall of his workshop is covered with wooden templates of guitar bodies, necks and pick guards.
    Michael Collins, USA Today, 1 Aug. 2025
  • For side sleepers who generally benefit from a firmer pillow for head and neck support, this memory foam-like fill from the Westin could be your best bet.
    Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 1 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The next chapter of paradise will soon be unveiled to future homeowners in this one-of-a-kind luxury destination.
    Kim Westerman, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025
  • That was the start of her chapter as a serial entrepreneur, later scaling her sustainable food app Too Good to Go to a massive success.
    Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 25 July 2025
Verb
  • Silver floral detailing crawled along the right hip of the gown and the left side of Lohan’s midsection.
    Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 31 July 2025
  • Ever since Google emerged as the home page of the Web in the early 2000s, media outlets operated under the assumption that Google would reliably crawl their sites and send audience their way.
    IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 31 July 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Inch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inch. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on inch

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!