inch 1 of 2

noun

ˈinch How to pronounce inch (audio)
Definition of inchnext
1
as in step
a very small distance or degree give them an inch, and they'll take a mile

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Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stage
an individual part of a process, series, or ranking inch by inch, we're making progress toward our fund-raising goal

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3
as in height
inches plural the distance of something or someone from bottom to top made the most of her inches by standing on her tiptoes to reach the top shelf

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inch

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to encroach
to advance gradually beyond the usual or desirable limits every year the water inches further up the embankments, threatening to permanently engulf the island city

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2
as in to drag
to move slowly the car inched carefully across the snow-covered causeway

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of inch
Noun
The new clinic will feature doorways 42 to 48 inches wide, well beyond the 36-inch minimum the Americans With Disabilities Act requires. — Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026 In our current RAMageddon world, the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Pro currently starts at $2,499. — Antonio G. Di Benedetto, The Verge, 27 Oct. 2026
Verb
His kick before the break from 59 yards out inched over the crossbar. — ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026 The idiosyncratic biopic makes the right choices, giving us in a sliver of time the dailiness of a working life with its gossip, money worries, and ongoing projects dwindling or cresting or inching forward. — Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for inch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inch
  1. step
  2. stage
  3. height
  4. encroach
  5. drag
  6. neck
  7. chapter
  8. crawl
Noun
  • Its opening step requires two protons to combine, with one converting into a neutron through the weak nuclear interaction.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 31 Oct. 2026
  • Let every man make known what kind of government would command his respect, and that will be one step toward obtaining it.
    — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of step
Noun
  • Researchers at Cornell University have developed a method that cuts a critical stage of lithium-ion battery manufacturing by up to 60%, potentially saving large factories as much as $100 million in production costs.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Lam herself is James Beard-recognized, which is why the powers that be at Kaya, quite brilliantly, gave her another stage on which to shine.
    — Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of stage
Noun
  • The fifth-rounder from Texas permitted a TD catch by Jets 6-5 tight end Mason Taylor, who had a five-inch height advantage, but that was the only completion against him.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2026
  • SpaceX is shooting for new heights with its upcoming Starship test flight, and the booster tapped for the mission is in its final stretch of preparations before the mission.
    — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of height
Verb
  • The buzzer sounded and Banchero encroached on Johnson’s space before Dyson Daniels and Onyeka Okongwu tried to break them apart.
    — Lauren Williams, AJC.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • In general, California property owners can trim branches and roots that encroach onto their land.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of encroach
Verb
  • Supporters — business groups and affordable housing advocates — say CEQA lawsuits drag projects out for years, jacking up your rent and mortgage.
    — Kiara Adams, Sacbee.com, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Related Stories The allegation relates to an incident in which Brand allegedly grabbed the woman by the arm and tried to drag her into a toilet.
    — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of drag
Noun
  • The victim suffered lacerations to the neck and back, and was taken to Stroger Hospital where he was listed in critical condition, police said.
    — Deanese Williams-Harris, Chicago Tribune, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Brents has been nursing a neck/shoulder injury for the past two weeks and re-aggravated it in Sunday’s 28-25 win over the Jets.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of neck
Noun
  • More news The Democratic Socialists of America LA chapter endorsed Nithya Raman for mayor.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The same day, the suit says, the university’s chapter of the Chi Phi Xi fraternity was placed on temporary suspension for alleged violations of the student code of conduct.
    — Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of chapter
Verb
  • However, a new type of gut-crawling worm being designed by engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), may actually be here to help.
    — Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Firefighters bravely crawled past the fire before hoses reached it to pull the five family members out.
    — Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of crawl

Phrases Containing inch

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incestuous
inch
in charge
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Cite this Entry

“Inch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inch. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on inch

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about inch

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