1
as in encroaching
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
Relevance
2
as in dragging
to move slowly
the car inched carefully across the snow-covered causeway
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in imperceptible
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
2
as in ambling
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of inching
Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 14 Sep. 2025
Now, those gadgets once limited to works of science fiction are inching close to reality.
—Kif Leswing, CNBC, 12 Sep. 2025
The feud has further escalated after the Kentucky Republican filed a discharge petition earlier this month on a resolution to release the Epstein files, an effort that is inching closer to a sufficient number of signatures to force a vote.
—Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 11 Sep. 2025
While the entire route is clearly visible, the plane has only just departed, inching forward along a tiny fraction of the long arc ahead.
—Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
This, of course, all happens with the 2026 FIFA World Cup inching closer.
—Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2025
Denver Post via Getty Images As August winds down, the start of training camp around the NBA is inching closer.
—Bobby Krivitsky, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
McLean lasted eight innings and struck out six in the 6-0 win over the Phillies, inching New York to within four games of the National League East division lead.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Last week’s release of the 2025-26 NBA schedule means Magic basketball is inching closer and closer.
—Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
And the Hurricanes continue inching up in the AP top 25 poll as a result.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 14 Sep. 2025
Now, those gadgets once limited to works of science fiction are inching close to reality.
—Kif Leswing, CNBC, 12 Sep. 2025
The feud has further escalated after the Kentucky Republican filed a discharge petition earlier this month on a resolution to release the Epstein files, an effort that is inching closer to a sufficient number of signatures to force a vote.
—Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 11 Sep. 2025
While the entire route is clearly visible, the plane has only just departed, inching forward along a tiny fraction of the long arc ahead.
—Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
This, of course, all happens with the 2026 FIFA World Cup inching closer.
—Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2025
Denver Post via Getty Images As August winds down, the start of training camp around the NBA is inching closer.
—Bobby Krivitsky, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
McLean lasted eight innings and struck out six in the 6-0 win over the Phillies, inching New York to within four games of the National League East division lead.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Last week’s release of the 2025-26 NBA schedule means Magic basketball is inching closer and closer.
—Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inching
Verb
-
Washington’s only voice in Congress criticized the bills for encroaching on the district’s governance.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Are other people’s money problems encroaching on your bottom line?—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Moncur struggled for seven minutes, dragging Blaze — who was locked on her arm — to the front of the facility in search of help.—
Tony Saavedra,
Oc Register,
16 Sep. 2025
-
The trends have contributed to a slump in consumer confidence, dragging on spending and threatening leaders’ official growth target for this year of around 5%.—
Nino Paoli,
Fortune,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Then, instead of the tell-tale metal frame of futons in your college days, this sturdy metal frame is imperceptible, but can be adjusted into four different positions, including the fully flat full-size bed.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
19 Sep. 2025
-
By synthesizing data streams from multiple sources, AI can identify patterns and trends that would be imperceptible to human clinicians.—
Kent Dicks,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Coachella hasn’t sold out since 2023, despite its release dates creeping earlier in the calendar each year.—
Arielle Gordon,
Pitchfork,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Moms pushed babies in strollers on a road divided by a median of blowing sand and creeping ice plant succulents, still striped with dotted white lines marking what used to be driving lanes.—
Janie Har,
Fortune,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Occasionally, as in the obscurity of Legion’s later episodes or the plodding pace of some Fargo plots, this approach can verge on self-indulgence.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Fans catapulted themselves through the air, crawling onto the stage.—
Audrey Gibbs,
Nashville Tennessean,
16 Sep. 2025
-
But the line is wildly popular—the launch of a collaboration with the street artist KAWS sparked a frenzy in China in 2019, with shoppers crawling under shutters, removing clothes from mannequins, and putting one another in headlocks to get the shirts before they were gone.—
Lauren Collins,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Men’s License to Train Jogger For hikers who prefer the tapered leg look, Lululemon offers the Licence to Train Jogger, available in three lengths.—
Katie Jackson,
Travel + Leisure,
14 Sep. 2025
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Anchored by Studio Gypsandconcrete and IDAAF Architects constructivist candleholder designs, the tapered wax flambeaus twist and turn with plantlike reliefs winding up to the top.—
Adrian Madlener,
Curbed,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In it, a monster with bolts in his head and a shuffling gate was created by a man.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
9 Sep. 2025
-
The closures have resulted in staff shuffling throughout the library system and rescheduled activities such as author talks and photography exhibits.—
Noah Lyons,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inching. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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