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Inroad is a combination of in and road, both of which are pretty mundane, as far as words go. But the first-and-oldest-meaning of inroad hints at a meaning of road other than the "way for traveling" one. Beginning back in the days of Old English, road referred to an armed hostile incursion made on horseback. (Raid comes from this use of road and also formerly specified incursions on horseback.) Road, as well as inroad, has lost its violent connotation. While inroads are often made at the expense of someone or something, they are at times simply advances, as when an artist is said to be "making inroads into a community."
Examples of inroad in a Sentence
Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 12 May 2026
Despite all of that, Avo has made notable inroads into college sports licensing at big-time schools, maneuvering through a tangled network of stakeholders and territorial claims.
—Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 12 May 2026
Nina Linh, who entered the race early on as a Democrat but has since identified as an independent, is hoping to make inroads with voters disenchanted by both parties.
—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2026
Overseas, leading Chinese car brands such as BYD and Geely Auto are making inroads.
—ABC News, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for inroad
Cite this Entry
“Inroad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inroad. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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