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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
Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 11 Nov. 2025
Normani will receive the Femme It Forward Award, which honors women who have made incredible inroads within their industries and communities through impactful service and leadership.
—Heran Mamo, Billboard, 11 Nov. 2025
Trump was able to make inroads with Latino voters by centering his campaign around affordability.
—Halle Troadec, ABC News, 10 Nov. 2025
However, Republicans have made some inroads with some Empire State voters recently.
—Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inroad
Cite this Entry
“Inroad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inroad. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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