inch 1 of 2

Definition of inchnext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
Wind gusts of up to 60 mph and quarter-sized hail (1 inch) are foreseen. Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 11 June 2026 Storms could bring wind gusts up to 75 mph, destructive hail up to 2 inches in diameter and the possibility of tornadoes. Francie Ebert, NBC news, 11 June 2026
Verb
Lionsgate and Universal’s Michael Jackson biopic Michael continues to inch closer to that $1 billion marker. Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 7 June 2026 The Evans and Rosedale Urban Village project in Fort Worth is inching closer to a potential summer groundbreaking. Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for inch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inch
Noun
  • The Sheriff’s Office has taken steps to transition services back to Willows.
    Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 12 June 2026
  • Every step gave the impression that the fabric was in full bloom.
    Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 11 June 2026
Noun
  • The 2026 men’s World Cup group stage consists of 12 groups of four competing in round-robin competition, an increase of 16 teams from the last men’s World Cup.
    Boston Herald, Boston Herald, 12 June 2026
  • The national team moved its training base from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico, but will play its group-stage games in Los Angeles and Seattle.
    Andrew Greif, NBC news, 12 June 2026
Noun
  • Swells on Tuesday led to beach hazard warnings across Southern California, along with high wave heights and rip currents, the National Weather Service warned.
    Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 11 June 2026
  • Barry had been appointed in April 2020, at the height of pandemic uncertainty, when stay-at-home orders made foot traffic to brick-and-mortar retailers like Best Buy nearly impossible.
    Liz Elting, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
Verb
  • Severe weather to our west may try to encroach on southeast Michigan late Wednesday.
    Ahmad Bajjey, CBS News, 8 June 2026
  • Kenya has experienced incidents of land grabbing in the past, and environmentalists have often spoken out when parks and other green spaces are encroached upon.
    ABC News, ABC News, 8 June 2026
Verb
  • Expectations of higher oil prices as the war drags on have kept long-term bond yields elevated, causing mortgage rates to mostly trend higher.
    ABC News, ABC News, 11 June 2026
  • Across a 90-foot wall at the Orlando Museum of Art, Tommerup assembled three monumental pyramids built from canvases dragged through the ocean and Biscayne Bay, dried in flowering trees and tossed from rooftops at dusk, surrendering part of the creative process to nature itself.
    Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 11 June 2026
Noun
  • And after the neck surgery there were some complications.
    Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 6 June 2026
  • Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible.
    CA Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 6 June 2026
Noun
  • That new chapter quickly turned into a full-fledged sequel, and Girls Like Us was born.
    Jennifer Dugan, PEOPLE, 7 June 2026
  • The next chapter of this country will be written the same way the first was.
    Keith Krach, Fortune, 7 June 2026
Verb
  • Wrigley Field West, aka Coors Field, was crawling with Cubs fans on Tuesday night.
    Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 11 June 2026
  • He was arrested after a two-day manhunt, crawling in a field in a rural part of the state.
    Chloe Atkins, NBC news, 11 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Inch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inch. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on inch

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster