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
Marc D. Grasso, Boston Herald, 14 May 2026
Tall soldiers in bearskin caps shuffled a few inches to the left, or right, to give the parade its proper visual proportions.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 10 May 2026
Competitive Wordle Score Once again, the Bot and I tied for three, giving us one point each and inching our totals forward.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for inch
Noun
Our 2026 Tiguan was loaded with standard features such as 20-inch alloy wheels, LED automatic headlights, heated and cooled seats, heated R-line steering wheel, and a simplified 15-inch infotainment system.
—Marc D. Grasso, Boston Herald, 14 May 2026
Tall soldiers in bearskin caps shuffled a few inches to the left, or right, to give the parade its proper visual proportions.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
Verb
The cause of this uptick in microseismicity was the small patches of rock and ice snapping as a huge part of the cliff began to inch its way downward.
—Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 10 May 2026
Competitive Wordle Score Once again, the Bot and I tied for three, giving us one point each and inching our totals forward.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for inch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inch
Noun
-
The next step is finding a place to meet in the middle and clarify what’s unsaid or unclear on both sides.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2026
-
Winning this one could be an early step toward turning the franchise around.—
Sam Warren,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Rashad knows that even now, at this late stage in hip-hop’s evolution, rappers are expected to guard their reputations carefully.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
-
Daniella Segura Thursday evening's debate marks the fifth time the seven candidates have taken the stage in recent weeks.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
The former couple produced and starred in the film, which was made at the height of the COVID pandemic.—
Daniel S. Levine,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
-
In seasons 14 and 15, the PAW Patrol is on a roll with adventures that take the pups from the prehistoric wilds of Dinosaur Island to the rock-climbing heights of Rescue Mountain.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
The moonless nights of mid-May are a fantastic time to spot the glowing band of the Milky Way arching across the spring sky, before the encroaching twilight of the summer months shortens the viewing window.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
8 May 2026
-
And then what happens when outside forces try to encroach on that?—
Carly Thomas,
HollywoodReporter,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Analysts have repeatedly warned that if the war drags on and supply chains are disrupted for long enough, prices for gas and a range of other goods could continue to climb.—
Wyatte Grantham-Philips,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
-
Billy, who speaks in a honeyed southern accent, dresses in Old Hollywood drag, and lives alone in the defunct summer camp where Camp Miasma was shot, isn’t just an envoy from another generation but a representative of a more visceral relationship with art.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Common symptoms include fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and an altered mental state.—
Sam Woodward,
USA Today,
9 May 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,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
The appearance also followed Rosalía’s latest New Balance chapter.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
10 May 2026
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Caps fly in the air, diplomas are framed, and a new chapter begins.—
Bruce Helmer,
Twin Cities,
9 May 2026
Verb
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Surveillance video from one convenience store that was burglarized shows a man in a hoodie crawling in through a hole in the bottom of the front door, climbing over the front counter and opening the cash register.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
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Staff started out by wearing bear masks and animal furs, then crawling into the enclosure to spoon-feed the cubs formula.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inch. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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