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
Trump has said that his first-term announcement that drug prices briefly inched down ranks among his proudest moments as president.
—
Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 6 Feb. 2026
After seeing its market share hold at 63% in 2023 and 2024, Netflix dropped to 59% in 2025 as rivals like Prime Video, Apple TV and HBO Max inched forward.
—Andrew Wallenstein, Variety, 30 Jan. 2026
Federal standards to protect coal miners and workers who labor in extreme heat finally inched closer to implementation, and dancers in Washington State organized to win a Strippers’ Bill of Rights.
—Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
In after-hours trading, Apple shares inched higher after the company beat fiscal first-quarter earnings and revenue expectations, aided by a significant surge in iPhone sales.
—Pia Singh, CNBC, 29 Jan. 2026
Applications for unemployment benefits inched down modestly last week, remaining at historically healthy levels despite recent high-profile layoff announcements.
—Matt Ott, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
The federal government Wednesday inched closer to a shutdown as the Senate remained deadlocked over a spending bill that would fund Immigration Customs and Enforcement amid the agency’s deadly clashes with protesters in Minneapolis.
—Dave Goldiner, Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2026
The Clarity Act, which would regulate and further legitimize digital assets, inched closer to passing after a senator pulled out of a contested amendment to the bill.
—Carlos Garcia, Fortune, 27 Jan. 2026
The price of gold has inched ever closer to the $5,000 per troy ounce mark in recent trading sessions, prompting many to wonder if the rally will continue any further.
—Gaurav Sharma, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 6 Feb. 2026
After seeing its market share hold at 63% in 2023 and 2024, Netflix dropped to 59% in 2025 as rivals like Prime Video, Apple TV and HBO Max inched forward.
—Andrew Wallenstein, Variety, 30 Jan. 2026
Federal standards to protect coal miners and workers who labor in extreme heat finally inched closer to implementation, and dancers in Washington State organized to win a Strippers’ Bill of Rights.
—Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
In after-hours trading, Apple shares inched higher after the company beat fiscal first-quarter earnings and revenue expectations, aided by a significant surge in iPhone sales.
—Pia Singh, CNBC, 29 Jan. 2026
Applications for unemployment benefits inched down modestly last week, remaining at historically healthy levels despite recent high-profile layoff announcements.
—Matt Ott, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
The federal government Wednesday inched closer to a shutdown as the Senate remained deadlocked over a spending bill that would fund Immigration Customs and Enforcement amid the agency’s deadly clashes with protesters in Minneapolis.
—Dave Goldiner, Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2026
The Clarity Act, which would regulate and further legitimize digital assets, inched closer to passing after a senator pulled out of a contested amendment to the bill.
—Carlos Garcia, Fortune, 27 Jan. 2026
The price of gold has inched ever closer to the $5,000 per troy ounce mark in recent trading sessions, prompting many to wonder if the rally will continue any further.
—Gaurav Sharma, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inched
Verb
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In an era when IP is king at the theatrical box office, particularly when it’s encroached upon by streaming, what’s the trick to figuring out if an original project can play to a mass audience or a Gen Z one?—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
22 Jan. 2026
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Palace intrigue encroached on his confidence at times.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Upstairs, behind a locked door, the force dragged the town into infamy.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
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Although the largest companies can absorb a drop in valuations, other AI companies have been dragged along by the hype, especially in the private markets.—
Mikael Johnsson,
Fortune,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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One live roach crawled on the floor in front of a storage rack with seasoning and cans.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
6 Feb. 2026
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Maybe the girl had crawled under a neighbor's trailer while playing hide-and-seek.—
Kristine Phillips,
IndyStar,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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And the warmer temperatures have crept into February.—
Paris Barraza,
USA Today,
5 Feb. 2026
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The Leafs game did lag late, as sloppiness crept in before Bobby McMann sealed the win with an empty net goal.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Royals shuffled through outfielders at a rapid rate.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
7 Feb. 2026
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Johnny Rondon-Rodriguez, a Venezuelan who had been shuffled in and out of jail since his arrest earlier this month, was similarly released by senior District Judge John Antoon, who heard his case immediately following Lleo-Rodriguez’s.—
Cristóbal Reyes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This is not the first time Cornyn has poked fun at Paxton’s romantic history.—
Sarah Bahari,
Dallas Morning News,
4 Feb. 2026
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The Jacksonville incident poked at the tension.—
Jerry Brewer,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inched. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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