1
as in encroached
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
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2
as in dragged
to move slowly
the car inched carefully across the snow-covered causeway
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of inched
The players were participating in a warm-up drill; the circle inched forward as the Americans headed or kicked the ball to each other.
—
Sean Gregory, Time, 11 June 2026
One reason is likely that Southern California pay raises are just barely outpacing inflation, so your paycheck’s buying power has only inched up.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 8 June 2026
Semien hit a two-run homer in the second, Torrens added a two-run single with two outs in the fourth and Soto hit his third career slam to cap a five-run sixth as the Mets inched past the Marlins into fourth place in the NL East.
—Cbs New York Team, CBS News, 31 May 2026
Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average inched down 30 points.
—Yun Li, CNBC, 31 May 2026
Housing plans Prospects for Pritzker’s ambitious package of proposals to build more housing in Illinois seemed murky Friday, though several pieces of legislation have inched forward in recent days.
—Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 30 May 2026
Former Harford County Council member Aaron Penman inched closer Friday to potentially being returned to his former seat during a hearing in circuit court.
—Bryan P. Sears, Baltimore Sun, 29 May 2026
Stocks inched to more records Wednesday after oil prices fell and eased the pressure on households and businesses worldwide.
—Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2026
As City inched closer to their first WSL title in a decade, the candidates for this award did not so much fall to the wayside as form a guard of honour.
—The Athletic Uk Staff, New York Times, 22 May 2026
Sean Gregory, Time, 11 June 2026
One reason is likely that Southern California pay raises are just barely outpacing inflation, so your paycheck’s buying power has only inched up.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 8 June 2026
Semien hit a two-run homer in the second, Torrens added a two-run single with two outs in the fourth and Soto hit his third career slam to cap a five-run sixth as the Mets inched past the Marlins into fourth place in the NL East.
—Cbs New York Team, CBS News, 31 May 2026
Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average inched down 30 points.
—Yun Li, CNBC, 31 May 2026
Housing plans Prospects for Pritzker’s ambitious package of proposals to build more housing in Illinois seemed murky Friday, though several pieces of legislation have inched forward in recent days.
—Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 30 May 2026
Former Harford County Council member Aaron Penman inched closer Friday to potentially being returned to his former seat during a hearing in circuit court.
—Bryan P. Sears, Baltimore Sun, 29 May 2026
Stocks inched to more records Wednesday after oil prices fell and eased the pressure on households and businesses worldwide.
—Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2026
As City inched closer to their first WSL title in a decade, the candidates for this award did not so much fall to the wayside as form a guard of honour.
—The Athletic Uk Staff, New York Times, 22 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inched
Verb
-
Kenya has experienced incidents of land grabbing in the past, and environmentalists have often spoken out when parks and other green spaces are encroached upon.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 June 2026
-
Cuba has long defended its decision to shoot down the planes, insisting that Brothers to the Rescue had encroached on the country's sovereignty.—
Joe Walsh,
CBS News,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
But peace talks have dragged for weeks under a ceasefire that began in April.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
13 June 2026
-
And public anger grew after video showed an activist being dragged by a private security guard while demonstrating at the site.—
Zana Cimili,
Fortune,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
When doctors smothered it in ointment, about 45 larvae crawled out.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
9 June 2026
-
He was buried alive on a construction site and then poisoned by a venomous rattlesnake that crawled into his coffin and attacked him.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Verb
-
My oldest, 9, had crept downstairs from her bed to catch some of the game.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
11 June 2026
-
Worry crept in after midnight for Vincent Tijerina.—
Tanya Babbar,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
In the years that followed, American landscape painting was shuffled off to storage to make room for modernism, and paintings like Church’s, with their glassy finishes and profuse detail, came to seem the embodiment of fuddy-duddy.—
Susan Tallman,
The Atlantic,
13 June 2026
-
The singer-songwriter shuffled songs on her phone, not having any idea what might pop up.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
12 June 2026
Verb
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Her long-term partner, Rich Paul, recently poked fun at his lady love's musical prowess while being interviewed on the Glass Half Full with Craig Melvin podcast.—
Rachel McRady,
PEOPLE,
10 June 2026
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The 14-day relative strength index has also just poked above the 50 level for the first time since late February.—
Frank Cappelleri,
CNBC,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inched. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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