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

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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

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 storms are packing marble-sized hail (0.5 inches) and wind gusts of up to 50 mph. Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 14 June 2025 The highchairs measure about 30 inches tall, 21 inches wide and 23 inches long, coming in the colors blue, black, natural wood/white, warm wood/gray and white. Kayla Grant, People.com, 13 June 2025
Verb
More than three years later, Matt Reeves‘ The Batman is still inching toward a sequel. Glenn Garner, Deadline, 20 June 2025 President Donald Trump has inched closer to ordering military strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, approving operational attack plans while stopping short of authorizing an attack, The Wall Street Journal reported. Isabel Van Brugen, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for inch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inch
Noun
  • After the league added a team in San Francisco this season, with expansion teams planned for Portland and Toronto, some see Baltimore as a natural next step.
    Timothy Dashiell, Baltimore Sun, 23 June 2025
  • The next step is to use video editing software to arrange each of the video clips together and add music.
    Bill Chappell, NPR, 23 June 2025
Noun
  • Nine new spec homes are currently available for purchase at various stages of completion, offering prospective homeowners a chance to personalize their future living spaces or move into a beautifully finished home.
    Prime Development, Kansas City Star, 22 June 2025
  • That set the stage for Irving’s game-winning stepback 3-pointer over Stephen Curry with 53.0 seconds remaining.
    Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 22 June 2025
Noun
  • With production reaching new heights, quality control will become harder to manage and more important.
    Bill Rokos, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
  • Turmoil continues to roil the Middle East in a 12-day conflict that reached new heights June 21 after President Donald Trump authorized a series of U.S. missile strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities.
    Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 24 June 2025
Verb
  • If that’s not enough nature and distance from encroaching suburbia for you, a 1,000-acre preserve sits just to the west of the ranch.
    Tori Latham, Robb Report, 17 June 2025
  • Although no one was injured in this instance, earlier this week, a man was gored by a bison at the park after a group of tourists encroached on its space, as reported by The Associated Press.
    Emma Marsden, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025
Verb
  • Even as Beijing drags its feet on financial reforms, the chaos surrounding Trump 2.0 is making the case, day after day, for an alternative to the dollar.
    William Pesek, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
  • Tense scenes played out in the chamber as voting came to a standstill, dragging on for hours as holdout senators huddled for negotiations.
    Lisa Mascaro, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2025
Noun
  • This cooling neck gaiter protects your neck from getting a sunburn.
    Robin Raven, Travel + Leisure, 26 June 2025
  • That randomness is supposed to simulate Arbus’ most famous method of finding her subjects: wandering the kaleidoscopic streets of New York with a camera strapped around her neck.
    Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 June 2025
Noun
  • Blank has helped create a pipeline between PGA Tour Superstore and youth development, with 50 First Tee chapters in markets with the company’s retail stores receiving grants to support youth programs.
    Erik Matuszewski, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
  • In a chapter of Locality, Regeneration & Divers[c]ities, edited by Sarah Bennett and John Butler, Jesús Pedro Lorente traces the evolution of the neighborhood.
    The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 20 June 2025
Verb
  • To make the stakes even higher, Player 39 crawls to the edge after the round ends.
    Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 27 June 2025
  • The next day, at 9:10 p.m., Boelter crawled out of a wooded area and surrendered to law enforcement.
    N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 27 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Inch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inch. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

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