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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of inched
Although fuel costs have inched higher this year, prices at the pump are still more than 7% lower than a year ago, according to the latest inflation data.
—
Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 2 Mar. 2026
An injured woman inched into the circle with a cane.
—Brian Barth, Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2026
For the population overall, cases and deaths have inched down in recent years.
—Arkansas Online, 26 Feb. 2026
Balfe inched closer during season seven with the opportunity to direct some second unit footage.
—Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 23 Feb. 2026
Gas prices inched up Monday in South Florida as drivers get back to the work commute.
—Miami Herald, 23 Feb. 2026
But with the win, TCU may have inched closer to locking up an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament with its fourth win in the last five games.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Feb. 2026
With Friday’s addition, the Sagrada Familia inched closer to being done.
—Suman Naishadham, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
Addie Schilb inched closed by finally getting a 3-pointer to fall.
—Paul Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 2 Mar. 2026
An injured woman inched into the circle with a cane.
—Brian Barth, Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2026
For the population overall, cases and deaths have inched down in recent years.
—Arkansas Online, 26 Feb. 2026
Balfe inched closer during season seven with the opportunity to direct some second unit footage.
—Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 23 Feb. 2026
Gas prices inched up Monday in South Florida as drivers get back to the work commute.
—Miami Herald, 23 Feb. 2026
But with the win, TCU may have inched closer to locking up an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament with its fourth win in the last five games.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Feb. 2026
With Friday’s addition, the Sagrada Familia inched closer to being done.
—Suman Naishadham, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
Addie Schilb inched closed by finally getting a 3-pointer to fall.
—Paul Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inched
Verb
-
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
-
Palace intrigue encroached on his confidence at times.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Instead, much of Iraq rose up to expel US ground forces, and the war dragged on for eight years.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The snake had dragged him roughly 30 feet from where their wrestling match began.—
Dac Collins,
Outdoor Life,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The animal had crawled into a drain pipe during a cold snap and could not turn around to escape.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
4 Mar. 2026
-
As seen on video from the scene, traffic crawled along the expressway as smoke billowed from the cars and firefighters worked to extinguish the fire.—
Asal Rezaei,
CBS News,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But as application deadlines loomed, doubt crept in.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
2 Mar. 2026
-
This book by Jessamine Chan crept its way into my marrow and refused to get out.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
What supports will schools offer to students who are emotionally impacted by this sudden disruption, especially those who have already been shuffled around multiple times?—
Randy Ribay,
Mercury News,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Drained from work, Irvi shuffled down the stairs in sweatpants.—
Caitlin Dickerson,
The Atlantic,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Later in the week, as other analysts poked holes in the Citrini scenario, the market recovered some of its losses.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Second baseman Ethan Mendoza looks like a completely different player, so much so that teammates have poked fun at him in interviews.—
David Eckert,
Austin American Statesman,
28 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inched. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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