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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
Coastal portions of Oaxaca, Colima and Jalisco states could receive 2 to 4 inches of rain. — Chris Dolce, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026 The robot measures about 11 inches tall and rides on rubber tank-style treads. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 22 Sep. 2026
Verb
Fears mount that Yemen is inching closer to a return to a civil war that killed 150,000 before a 2022 ceasefire. — Arkansas Online, 15 Sep. 2026 And to add insult to injury for football fans, the Sunday Ticket has been inching up in price point. — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 15 Sep. 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
  • The effort to create a national voter list is among numerous steps Trump has taken during his second term to try to overhaul the way elections are run.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Sep. 2026
  • This extra step will help make your patch look like the original concrete.
    — Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of step
Noun
  • The band returned at the end of the evening and invited the jury members on stage to close the ceremony.
    — Jenny S. Li, Variety, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The first flight now gives Bye Aerospace a working aircraft for the next stage of development.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of stage
Noun
  • And depending on the era in which the carpet was installed, the color, style, make, or pile height can come off as dated and tacky.
    — Sheila Kim, The Spruce, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Despite just turning 14, Rocky appeared almost the same height as his mother in the rare joint photo.
    — Gina Kalsi, PEOPLE, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of height
Verb
  • However, the true antagonist of Forgotten Island is encroaching adulthood.
    — Parents, Parents, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Shown from above, the camera steadily encroaching like the angel of death itself, is an elderly woman in a hospital bed.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of encroach
Verb
  • Over the past 12 months, the stock has fallen 18%, dragging McDonald's market value down to about $175 billion.
    — Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Those votes are increasingly challenging for some GOP senators as the war drags on.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of drag
Noun
  • Lopez was shot four times, including in the back of the head; Peacock was shot twice in the head; and Roberts was shot five times in the chest, neck and head.
    — MICHAEL GRACZYK, Arkansas Online, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Thom Browne’s signature white, red, and blue stripe can be traced along the inside of the earcups, an homage to the Bemberg lining found in its suiting—one that can be spotted when the headphones lay flat along the wearer’s neck.
    — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of neck
Noun
  • The Westerly is the resort's newest chapter, its first boutique tower on a property that has welcomed guests for almost 70 years.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Sep. 2026
  • But Selinger offers solace at the end of each chapter, in the form of a recipe.
    — Candy Hom, AJC.com, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of chapter
Verb
  • There’s also a less than 10% chance of showers, if one of the hurricanes crawls farther up the coast, according to Wofford.
    — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Throughout the spring, there are fests crawling up both coasts and in between, too.
    — Norma A. Orovitz, Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 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 27 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on inch

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about inch

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