incline

1 of 2

verb

in·​cline in-ˈklīn How to pronounce incline (audio)
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

incline

2 of 2

noun

in·​cline ˈin-ˌklīn How to pronounce incline (audio)
: an inclined plane : grade, slope
Choose the Right Synonym for 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?

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
Anyone inclined to wring their hands over TikTok’s role in sullying public discourse and internet safety in this country must acknowledge the role of all the leading social media platforms — not only Meta but X and YouTube. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 Since the boom of activity trackers like the Fitbit or Apple Watch, many people would be inclined to say around 10,000 steps. Delaney Nothaft, USA TODAY, 2 Jan. 2024 The logic behind celebrity endorsement in the age of TikTok and Instagram is sound, but is that segment of the market inclined to spend a lot of money on whisky? Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 Both incline you to be not just deferential, but grateful. Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2024 Johnston said doctors and patients may be inclined to dismiss symptoms like acid reflux as harmless, which can delay diagnoses. Aria Bendix, NBC News, 6 Feb. 2024 The voters run the Republican Party, and many of those voters are inclined toward former President Donald Trump. CBS News, 21 Jan. 2024 Similarly inclined, on Feb. 12, Britain’s Olympics team signed a sponsorship deal with TikTok to help grow its athletes’ online influence as strict Olympic rules on digital advertising are set to be loosened for this year’s Games in Paris. Sheila Dang and David Shepardson, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Feb. 2024 Being a sort of person inclined to platonic thinking myself, I’m tempted to agree. Quanta Magazine, 1 Feb. 2024
Noun
The construction site hemmed in by large boulders, rocks and the ocean on one side and a steep incline on the other. Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2024 On a slight incline, the motor matched my effort to fight gravity with just a small percentage of its 100nm torque reserve. William Roberson, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 To sum up, babies should sleep on their backs, on a firm surface, at an incline of no greater than 10 degrees, in a sleep area with no other objects or loose blankets. Katrina Cossey, Parents, 16 Dec. 2023 Running on an incline or decline can impact shin splints as well. Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 27 Jan. 2024 On the hike’s ending stretch, walk through the Mountain Theatre, take the incline up to the hike’s initial viewpoint, and then when ready, walk the short distance down to your car. Jim Holden, The Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2024 Hike down the incline, which takes hikers to an open area surrounded by pepper and eucalyptus trees. Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Nov. 2023 This allows the Voyager to make quick work of hills and steep inclines. Kevin Brouillard, Travel + Leisure, 9 Feb. 2024 Hikers will experience some gradual inclines and one steeper descent, but the trail is mostly flat. Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'incline.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

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

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1798, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of incline was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near incline

Cite this Entry

“Incline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incline. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

incline

1 of 2 verb
in·​cline in-ˈklīn How to pronounce incline (audio)
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
3
: to turn or move from a line, direction, or course : lean, slope
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
in-ˈklī-nə-bəl
adjective

incline

2 of 2 noun
in·​cline ˈin-ˌklīn How to pronounce incline (audio)

More from Merriam-Webster on incline

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