1
as in step
a very small distance or degree
give them an inch, and they'll take a mile
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of inch
Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 2 Apr. 2026
Rain chances are at 50 percent with new rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, with higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
—Garfield Hylton, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2026
Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Mar. 2026
Gas prices are higher in Arizona by more than a dollar from a year before, and the spike was glaring in metro Phoenix where the average price of regular gasoline was quickly inching to $5 per gallon.
—Jose R. Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inch
Noun
For example, this spacious option can fit a 13-inch laptop, headphones, a water bottle, farmers’ market goodies, makeup, and more, according to reviews.
—Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 2 Apr. 2026
Rain chances are at 50 percent with new rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, with higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
—Garfield Hylton, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
The team is inching toward making history for Fort Worth ISD, as the district has never had a boys soccer state champion.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Mar. 2026
Gas prices are higher in Arizona by more than a dollar from a year before, and the spike was glaring in metro Phoenix where the average price of regular gasoline was quickly inching to $5 per gallon.
—Jose R. Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inch
Noun
-
Collaborate thoughtfully, and document next steps clearly.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2026
-
This session, the Legislature also passed House Bill 822, which requires schools and health care providers to inform a parent within 72 hours if a child requests to take steps to socially transition, which could include using pronouns or names that align with their gender identity.—
Becca Savransky,
Idaho Statesman,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Orion capsule separated from the rocket's upper stage to enter a highly elliptical orbit around Earth.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Their mom is in hospice care, battling stage 4 brain cancer, and their dad was arrested this week by ICE.—
Zach Boetto,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
An item that is adjustable will allow the user to lock in specific heights that work best for them.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
-
At its height, a period extending from the middle of the 16th century to the beginning of the 18th, the Mughal Empire controlled almost the entire Indian subcontinent, marshaling vast amounts of money and manpower.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
On their endless search for nutrients, hyphae encroached into empty spaces.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Within minutes of Trump signing the order, top election officials in Oregon and Arizona, two states that rely heavily on mail ballots, pledged to sue, arguing that the president was illegally encroaching on the right of states to run elections.—
Alexandra Kukulka,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Continue reading … EMERGENCY EASE — Trump administration steps in with rare tax relief for DHS workers as shutdown drags on.—
,
FOXNews.com,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Several parents who spoke to The Baltimore Sun, under the condition of anonymity because of fears that the institution would retaliate against their sons, questioned why the school continues to drag its feet about bringing back Moran.—
Edward Lee,
Baltimore Sun,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
5 Apr. 2026
-
More than 5,000 Amazon shoppers jumped on the neck scarf trend in the last month.—
Emily Weaver,
PEOPLE,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Khamsi spends a chapter talking about the work of a doctor named Robert Gatenby, who has applied evolutionary models to cancer treatment.—
Jerome Groopman,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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Understanding where innovation is accelerating, and how these breakthroughs will diffuse across economies and societies, will define the next chapter of global technological leadership.—
Semafor Events,
semafor.com,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Until Isaacman’s program makeover, Artemis III was crawling toward a moon landing no sooner than 2029.—
Marcia Dunn,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Woods’ car then rolled onto its driver’s side and he was forced to crawl out the window.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inch. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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