inch 1 of 2

1
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

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
Ouellette won the 1,600 title (Martin was second) and another senior Oliver Guzy won the long jump (22 feet, 3 ¼ inches) was second in the 300 hurdles. Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 1 June 2025 The Vario-Elmar is a little smaller (6.8 by 3.3 inches) and lighter at 2.2 pounds. PC Magazine, 31 May 2025
Verb
Shares of Ralph Lauren company inched up 1.5 percent to $278 in premarket trading. Evan Clark, Footwear News, 22 May 2025 Confronting the Norm After 25 years without improving on Erdős’ original result, mathematicians finally began inching forward. Leila Sloman, Quanta Magazine, 22 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for inch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inch
Noun
  • Data Management Simplified For companies seeking to accelerate their data processing, there are steps to take toward a smoother and more agile approach to data extraction and enrichment.
    Lori Schafer, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • In an exclusive clip from the film (below), the jury tries to retrace Sophie’s steps, and imagine her state of mind, on the night she was murdered.
    Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 10 June 2025
Noun
  • Shohei Ohtani is there as well, in the late stages of Tommy John surgery rehab that could be completed just after the All Star break.
    Tony Blengino, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • In the studio, several canvases were in varying stages of completion.
    Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
Noun
  • Originally approved by the Florida Legislature in 2023, the Live Local Act allows mixed-use projects in commercial and industrial districts to exceed limits on local density and height zoning rules so long as developers set aside 40 percent of residential units for workforce housing.
    Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 13 June 2025
  • The attack comes as tensions have reached new heights over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program.
    Jon Gambrell, Christian Science Monitor, 13 June 2025
Verb
  • Apple once owned the premium device space, but competitors are now encroaching on its turf.
    Jackie Snow, Quartz, 7 June 2025
  • At this year’s Cannes Film Festival, the industry was awash with buyers, sellers and festival heads chattering about how to come to grips with this new phase of technology that is increasingly encroaching on the traditional space.
    Diana Lodderhose, Deadline, 4 June 2025
Verb
  • Over the Great Plains, the high-level flow of winds has been pushing the smoke south, and shifting upper-level winds from the west will drag the smoke over the eastern states, according to The Weather Channel.
    Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 5 June 2025
  • The phone call between Trump and Putin came as the war, which has dragged on for nearly 3.5 years, shows no signs of abating despite mounting pressure for a diplomatic breakthrough.
    Nik Popli, Time, 4 June 2025
Noun
  • One of the victims was slashed in the neck, cops said.
    Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 31 May 2025
  • Pass's rich tone arose from a combination of using a pick and playing closer to the guitar neck.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 31 May 2025
Noun
  • Women now may face lengthy prison sentences for decades-old chapters of their pasts.
    Ryan Mac Natasha Singer Alyce McFadden Jiawei Wang, New York Times, 8 June 2025
  • Nearly three years after joining John Hardy as creative chair, Reed Krakoff has effectively reinvigorated the brand, ushering in the next chapter of its storied history.
    Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • The men allegedly crawled out of the hole to a loading dock, scaled an exterior concrete wall of the jail complex and darted across a freeway to freedom.
    Kati Weis, CBS News, 29 May 2025
  • The Zenbook crawled to the finish line in every test.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 29 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Inch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inch. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.

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