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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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
They are set on a slim stiletto heel, measuring around five inches. — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 25 Aug. 2026 While brown anoles can get about 9 inches long at most, Cuban knights can get nearly 20 inches long. — Alex Harris august 25, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026
Verb
But be sure to look up about 40 minutes before the peak to see the edge of Earth’s shadow inch across the lunar surface. — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 17 Aug. 2026 Whether Kidman’s performance inched the price upward remains unclear. — Ara H. Merjian, ARTnews.com, 16 Aug. 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
  • Anyone in Livingston County who believes they've been exposed is asked to capture the bat, report the exposure by filling out a form on the health department's website and call department staff at 517‑552‑6882 for testing guidance and next steps.
    — Nicholas Lentz, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Kanter Freedom, standing, held his arms out and took one step on the court as security and a handful of Sky players moved in between the two.
    — Jay Cohen, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of step
Noun
  • And some of the outlook may have less to do with the immediate issues and more about life stage.
    — R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Almost nine months later, the company's stock has hit an all-time high, its box office is breaking records and the stage is set to carry its momentum through the end of 2026.
    — Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of stage
Noun
  • Towering waves generated by intense Pacific storm systems, their heights amplified by El Niño, could erode parts of the fragile coastline and shut down crucial coastal transportation arteries.
    — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
  • But what truly took the event to new heights was the way the ladies from the other franchises reacted to being on Kyle’s turf.
    — Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of height
Verb
  • Things Fall Apart Chinua Achebe’s story explores the life of a man, Okonkwo, and his home in Nigeria, which is forever changed when outside forces begin to encroach.
    — Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Hundreds of researchers at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory have observed changes including fewer bees and other pollinators, and sagebrush encroaching in valleys once dominated by wildflowers.
    — Brittany Peterson, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of encroach
Verb
  • The multiday move lower in oil prices has also dragged bond yields lower.
    — Steve Kopack, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The Huskies ultimately won both ends of a home-and-home series, but the second game dragged perilously into overtime.
    — Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of drag
Noun
  • Clancy then ingested prescription medication, slashed her wrists and neck with a knife, and apparently threw herself head first out of a second-story window, resulting in permanent paralysis from the sternum down.
    — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Nedawi then pulled back Miller’s sweatshirt and tased him on the neck.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of neck
Noun
  • Headwinds for the local sports channels, including those operated by Spectrum, pose the latest rocky chapter for Los Angeles sports fans.
    — Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The latest chapter in this saga is the exoplanet LHS 1140b, which is a very interesting world regardless of labels.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of chapter
Verb
  • Their only hope is for someone to crawl across the room to the spot with the most intense g-forces and turn it off.
    — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Classicist and Roman plumbing expert Ann Olga Koloski-Ostrow suggests that private toilets might have been cut off from the municipal sewers to prevent animals crawling up the pipes and into homes.
    — Andrew Coletti, Popular Science, 27 Aug. 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 30 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on inch

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about inch

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