incline

verb in·cline \ in-ˈklīn \

|Updated on: 10 Aug 2018

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Examples: incline in a Sentence

Definition of incline

inclined; inclining

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

—

incliner

noun

See incline defined for English-language learners

See incline defined for kids

Examples of incline in a Sentence

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.

Recent Examples of incline from the Web

Van Riemsdyk, who scored 36 goals for Toronto this past season, would seem to be an ideal fit if the Panthers were inclined to outbid the competition.

— walter villa, miamiherald, "As these former Panthers move into the Stanley Cup Finals, Florida prepares for draft | Miami Herald," 21 May 2018
Several said they were inclined to vote for Brown to serve another four years.

— phil willon, latimes.com, "With recession in the rear view, a more upbeat California looks to choose a new governor," 19 Apr. 2018
People may be inclined to spend more because the holiday falls on a Saturday this year, says Nora Yousif, a financial advisor and vice president at RBC Wealth Management in the Boston area.

— USA TODAY, "Save green on St. Patrick’s Day — no luck required," 7 Mar. 2018
With the right offer, the Cavs might be inclined not to match, given they are already over the salary cap.

— jason jones, sacbee, "The Kings still want a small forward. Here's why pursuing Rodney Hood makes sense," 8 July 2018
Think of it as a learning opportunity disguised as a happy hour for the vinously inclined.

— ellen bhang, BostonGlobe.com, "Wine class and happy hour rolled into one," 7 June 2018
For that matter, that earlier generation of artists also was inclined to find metaphysical ideas percolating in their all-over painterly abstraction.

— mike giuliano, Howard County Times, "Artist gets metaphysical at Columbia Art Center," 6 July 2018
Past the exit, an outdoor ramp inclines visitors toward the roof of the building where the Atlantic suddenly spreads out below.

— michael kimmelman, New York Times, "Coney Island’s Newest Wonder: Sharkitecture!," 28 June 2018
In the time since Trump won the presidency, however, there are signs that Romney is inclined to defer to the undisputed Republican leader.

— BostonGlobe.com, "Mitt Romney and Donald Trump? ‘It’s really complicated’," 11 June 2018

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.

Origin and Etymology of incline

Middle English, from Anglo-French incliner, encliner, from Latin inclinare, from in- + clinare to lean — more at lean

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

incline Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of incline

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?

incline

noun in·cline \ ˈin-ˌklīn \

Definition of incline

: an inclined plane : grade, slope

See incline defined for English-language learners

Examples of incline in a Sentence

We drove up a steep incline to the summit.
You can adjust the incline of the ramp.

Recent Examples of incline from the Web

Such systems are strongly front-biased and often pretty weak on snow and ice surfaces, especially starting off, especially on an incline.

— dan neil, WSJ, "2019 Subaru Ascent: A Bigger, Better Family SUV," 12 July 2018
The metal walkway with the eight-foot incline is flanked by warehouses and a floral arrangement of Allegheny serviceberry, eastern redbuds, wild ginger and magnolia trees.

— andrea sachs, chicagotribune.com, "Take a walk on New York's High Line from end-to-end," 2 July 2018
Cyclists should be prepared for steady inclines up to each of the tunnels, followed by declines after.

— chelsey lewis, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "4 linked trails and 100 miles of biking bliss in western Wisconsin," 21 June 2018
The frame stands at a slight incline, which works the back legs, where many dogs have weakness, Lopez said.

— rebekah l. sanders, azcentral, "Doggy treadmills are a thing, and they're saving lives in Maricopa County," 25 May 2018
And to get up hills, Cincinnati had five inclines, including Mount Adams and Price Hill.

— scott wartman, Cincinnati.com, "The curse of the subway: A look at Cincinnati’s troubled century of mass transit," 25 Apr. 2018
Growth was consistent, Lahey said, his arm darting out to illustrate the incline.

— alison kuznitz, courant.com, "A Visionary Leader, President John Lahey Casts His Final Shadow On Quinnipiac University," 2 July 2018
With a ramp 75 to 328 feet long, on an incline of 5 to 20 degrees, a crew of just 15 people could have maneuvered one of the pukao into position.

— kiona n. smith, Ars Technica, "How does a preindustrial society put a 13-ton hat on a statue?," 5 June 2018
Still, the Rivertowns’ topography has a rugged quality, with some houses built into the landscape and streets turning tight corners or heading up steep inclines.

— brooke lea foster, New York Times, "Comparing Suburbs: Montclair in New Jersey vs. Dobbs Ferry in New York," 23 Feb. 2018

First Known Use of incline

1798

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

incline Synonyms

Synonyms

cant, diagonal, grade, gradient, inclination, lean, pitch, rake, slant, slope, upgrade;

Near Antonyms

declension, declination, decline, declivity, descent, dip, downgrade, fall, hang, hanging, receding;

Related Words

ascent, bank, climb, rise;

INCLINE Defined for English Language Learners

incline

verb

Definition of incline for English Language Learners

: to bend forward or to cause (something) to bend forward
: to lean or slope
: to cause (someone) to want to do something or to be likely to do something

incline

noun

Definition of incline for English Language Learners

: a slanting surface

INCLINE Defined for Kids

incline

verb in·cline \ in-ˈklīn \

Definition of incline for Students

inclined; inclining

1 : to cause to bend or lean

She inclined her head.

2 : ²slope, lean

incline

noun in·cline \ ˈin-ˌklīn \

Definition of incline for Students

: ¹slope 2

a steep incline

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See words that rhyme with incline Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for incline Spanish Central: Translation of incline Nglish: Translation of incline for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of incline for Arabic speakers

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incline

Definition of incline

incliner

Examples of incline in a Sentence

Recent Examples of incline from the Web

Origin and Etymology of incline

incline Synonyms

Synonyms

Near Antonyms

Related Words

Synonym Discussion of incline

incline

Definition of incline

Examples of incline in a Sentence

Recent Examples of incline from the Web

First Known Use of incline

incline Synonyms

Synonyms

Near Antonyms

Related Words

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INCLINE Defined for English Language Learners

incline

Definition of incline for English Language Learners

incline

Definition of incline for English Language Learners

INCLINE Defined for Kids

incline

Definition of incline for Students

incline

Definition of incline for Students

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