incline

verb

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in·cline | \ in-ˈklīn

inclined; inclining

Definition of incline

(Entry 1 of 2)

intransitive verb

1 : to bend the head or body forward : bow

2 : to lean, tend, or become drawn toward an opinion or course of conduct

3 : to deviate from a line, direction, or course specifically : to deviate from the vertical or horizontal

transitive verb

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

incline

noun

in·cline | \ ˈin-ˌklīn

Definition of incline (Entry 2 of 2)

: an inclined plane : grade, slope

Other Words from incline Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More About incline

Synonyms for incline

Synonyms: Verb

Synonyms: Noun

Choose the Right Synonym for incline

Verb

incline, bias, dispose, predispose mean to influence one to have or take an attitude toward something. incline implies a tendency to favor one of two or more actions or conclusions. I incline to agree bias suggests a settled and predictable leaning in one direction and connotes unfair prejudice. the experience biased him against foreigners dispose suggests an affecting of one's mood or temper so as to incline one toward something. her nature disposes her to trust others predispose implies the operation of a disposing influence well in advance of the opportunity to manifest itself. does fictional violence predispose them to accept real violence?

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: Verb The beach used to gradually incline into the water. — Mario Koran, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 22 Dec. 2021 The Dolphins, although improving of late in this category, have had their struggles in run defense, which doesn’t incline teams to have to throw as often or have difficult third-down situations that lead to turnovers. — David Furones, sun-sentinel.com, 5 Nov. 2021 The propensity on the part of these men — and much of humankind, for that matter — to incline toward the light is no surprise. — Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2021 But charity should incline us to be more willing to take other considerations into account. — Paul Bloom, WSJ, 12 Mar. 2021 Dorador thought telling people about the diverse ecology would incline others to protect the area. — Ian Morse, Quartz, 22 Dec. 2020 Someone who grasps it lightly might incline a little more toward risk-taking than caution in her personal choices. — Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2020 Today, no one suspects that Italy was terrorized by COVID19 because Italian genes incline the population to respiratory illness. — Jennifer Tsai, Scientific American, 8 Sep. 2020 Each will likely command top of the market salaries, and the Colts will be inclined to pay up for two of their best players and locker room leaders. — Jim Ayello, The Indianapolis Star, 2 June 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun That's quite a steep incline for something already costing a hefty amount. — Nicholas Cron, Forbes, 16 Sep. 2021 Restraint chairs resemble a cross between a wheelchair and a padded incline bench press, with straps to confine the arms and feet. — Leon Stafford, ajc, 25 Dec. 2021 Or, purchase an incline treadmill that'll seamlessly raise and lower the belt to build your endurance. — Samantha Jones, Health.com, 26 Nov. 2021 There are several different types of hiking, including trails that don’t have an incline or that last a couple of hours. — Sarah Michel, refinery29.com, 11 Aug. 2021 The trail bottoms out, then boomerangs up onto a red rock incline where ocotillos join the mix of drier microclimate vegetation. — Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 12 Nov. 2021 Those brave enough to sign up will first climb 32 steps from Basecamp to The Cliff, which sits 1,190 feet up in the air, before continuing onto The Stair, which features 161 steps on a nearly 45-degree incline. — Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 26 Oct. 2021 Since the pandemic began, substance abuse has seen an incline and continues to be a concern. — Kelsey Moreira, Forbes, 12 Oct. 2021 The steep incline that led to their quiet street made for good sledding. — Washington Post, 6 Nov. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'incline.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.