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 Labor Department’s report Thursday showed that the four-week moving average of jobless claims, which evens out some of the weekly volatility, inched up by 750 to 210,750.
—
ABC News, 23 Apr. 2026
The group of seven, which included three children, managed to climb up to a ledge on the cliff as 16-foot waves inched closer by the minute.
—Holly Williams, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
Excluding fuel surcharges, the company’s brokerage division saw revenue per load increase 9 percent year over year, while the truckload unit inched up 3 percent.
—Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 20 Apr. 2026
Stocks inched higher after the S & P 500 and Nasdaq Composite each closed at new all-time highs on Wednesday.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2026
In the first quarter of 2026, California saw a 14 percent decline in filming in the state even as its production spend inched up 2 percent, according to a report from ProdPro.
—Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 15 Apr. 2026
The Saint Pyrenees—which Tabitha and Henry agreed now was number one, the best dog—had inched his gigantic head imperceptibly closer and closer until he’d snuck a morsel of ham from her plate.
—Literary Hub, 14 Apr. 2026
Since then, his approval rating in the poll has dropped five points, while his disapproval score has inched up by the same number of points.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2026
Player salaries inched up over the next two decades, but overseas play — which also resulted in year-round play and higher injury risk — was a necessity for many players to supplement salaries.
—Chantel Jennings, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2026
ABC News, 23 Apr. 2026
The group of seven, which included three children, managed to climb up to a ledge on the cliff as 16-foot waves inched closer by the minute.
—Holly Williams, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
Excluding fuel surcharges, the company’s brokerage division saw revenue per load increase 9 percent year over year, while the truckload unit inched up 3 percent.
—Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 20 Apr. 2026
Stocks inched higher after the S & P 500 and Nasdaq Composite each closed at new all-time highs on Wednesday.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2026
In the first quarter of 2026, California saw a 14 percent decline in filming in the state even as its production spend inched up 2 percent, according to a report from ProdPro.
—Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 15 Apr. 2026
The Saint Pyrenees—which Tabitha and Henry agreed now was number one, the best dog—had inched his gigantic head imperceptibly closer and closer until he’d snuck a morsel of ham from her plate.
—Literary Hub, 14 Apr. 2026
Since then, his approval rating in the poll has dropped five points, while his disapproval score has inched up by the same number of points.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2026
Player salaries inched up over the next two decades, but overseas play — which also resulted in year-round play and higher injury risk — was a necessity for many players to supplement salaries.
—Chantel Jennings, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inched
Verb
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On their endless search for nutrients, hyphae encroached into empty spaces.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
6 Apr. 2026
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But ever since, the family has alleged individuals have encroached on their beach, forcing them to put up no trespassing signs and hire private security, according to a supplemental complaint filed by Brian against the Walton County Sheriff’s Office last year.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Steep post-earnings slides for key software names dragged the broader sector lower, as investors weighed artificial intelligence's threat to software companies' business models.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
24 Apr. 2026
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The findings from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research show a president who is struggling with unfulfilled promises to tame inflation and testing Americans’ patience with a conflict in the Middle East that has dragged on longer than expected.—
Josh Boak,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The attendant and one of the passengers worked together at prying open the baggage compartment door while the other passenger crawled around the floor, searching in the thick smoke for a cellphone to try to use as a flashlight, according to the statement transcripts.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Apr. 2026
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Two roaches crawled on a rice bin.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Measles crept into Utah and Arizona in June, with reports trickling into local health departments of patients coming to doctors and saying their children had just recovered from full-body rashes, and parents telling pediatricians that their whole family had just recovered from measles.—
Brenda Goodman,
CNN Money,
24 Apr. 2026
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This move would likely mean Denver moves on from Evan Engram; quietly, the organization explored alternatives at tight end through free agency, but the price crept too high.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The midseason trade felt relatively marginal compared to league-wide blockbusters that shuffled James Harden, Darius Garland and Anthony Davis.—
Broderick Turner,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
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Growing up in a military family, Vogel shuffled between the East Coast and Europe every two to three years.—
Noah Lyons,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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On Thursday, before the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Kimmel poked fun at the event on his late night show, sharing faux remarks for his own dinner.—
McKinley Franklin,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Apr. 2026
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The host also poked fun at the Trumps’ living separately despite being married for 22 years.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inched. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
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