1
as in encroaches
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
2
as in drags
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 inches
Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 28 Feb. 2026
Secure some heavy string or wire around one of the end posts about 2 inches from the ground.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026
Once shoots appear, place them 2 inches below the grow lights for 12 to 16 hours daily.
—Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 27 Feb. 2026
However, Tuesday was safe enough for all students, parents and teachers to travel to schools after the blizzard dropped 15-24 inches of snow, and when temperatures were expected to fall to 15-28 degrees.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 27 Feb. 2026
How many times the average snow has fallen More than nine winters’ worth of snow have fallen in pockets of coastal North Carolina, where more than a foot fell in places that average a few inches at most.
—Naema Ahmed, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2026
Mattresses-in-a-box typically range from 10 to 15 inches and average about 100 pounds.
—Kristi Kellogg, Architectural Digest, 27 Feb. 2026
The most snow — potentially 12 to 24 inches — is most likely to fall near and east or southeast of Interstate 95 from around Philadelphia to New York City and Boston.
—Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 21 Feb. 2026
Total snow accumulations mainly between 3 and 7 inches, with a foot or more possible on the high peaks of the Smokies.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 21 Feb. 2026
Kate Perez, USA Today, 16 Feb. 2026
Sierra Canyon will host Crespi on Saturday as the team inches closer to an undefeated Mission League campaign.
—Dan Lovi, Daily News, 22 Jan. 2026
Republicans can comfort themselves that a win is still a win—and that their House majority inches up to 220–213, at least until other vacancies kick in.
—Newsweek Editors, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025
The news comes as Hendricks Commercial Properties inches closer to a massive overhaul of the mall that could take years to complete.
—Jenny Porter Tilley, IndyStar, 21 Nov. 2025
Clemson also inches back up into the top 50 for beating Florida State.
—Chris Vannini, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
As Congress inches closer to a possible government shutdown, many federal services North Carolinians depend on might be disrupted.
—Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 30 Sep. 2025
Williams edged the Bills’ Josh Allen and Ravens’ Lamar Jackson for the honor, while Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa inches up one spot to 18th overall.
—Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2025
With BeyondMimic, that vision inches closer to becoming everyday technology.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 1 Sep. 2025
Noun
About 22-inches shorter than her trademark tresses, hairstylist Dimitris Giannetos gave Moore a chin-length bob with a wet finish for an even more dramatic effect.
—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 28 Feb. 2026
Secure some heavy string or wire around one of the end posts about 2 inches from the ground.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026
Once shoots appear, place them 2 inches below the grow lights for 12 to 16 hours daily.
—Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 27 Feb. 2026
However, Tuesday was safe enough for all students, parents and teachers to travel to schools after the blizzard dropped 15-24 inches of snow, and when temperatures were expected to fall to 15-28 degrees.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 27 Feb. 2026
How many times the average snow has fallen More than nine winters’ worth of snow have fallen in pockets of coastal North Carolina, where more than a foot fell in places that average a few inches at most.
—Naema Ahmed, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2026
Mattresses-in-a-box typically range from 10 to 15 inches and average about 100 pounds.
—Kristi Kellogg, Architectural Digest, 27 Feb. 2026
The most snow — potentially 12 to 24 inches — is most likely to fall near and east or southeast of Interstate 95 from around Philadelphia to New York City and Boston.
—Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 21 Feb. 2026
Total snow accumulations mainly between 3 and 7 inches, with a foot or more possible on the high peaks of the Smokies.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 21 Feb. 2026
Verb
Following a bout of social media virality, a scout with Troop 71047 named Pim has sold over 100,000 boxes of cookies and counting, and every sale inches her closer to breaking the record for most Girl Scout Cookies ever sold.
—Kate Perez, USA Today, 16 Feb. 2026
Sierra Canyon will host Crespi on Saturday as the team inches closer to an undefeated Mission League campaign.
—Dan Lovi, Daily News, 22 Jan. 2026
Republicans can comfort themselves that a win is still a win—and that their House majority inches up to 220–213, at least until other vacancies kick in.
—Newsweek Editors, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025
The news comes as Hendricks Commercial Properties inches closer to a massive overhaul of the mall that could take years to complete.
—Jenny Porter Tilley, IndyStar, 21 Nov. 2025
Clemson also inches back up into the top 50 for beating Florida State.
—Chris Vannini, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
As Congress inches closer to a possible government shutdown, many federal services North Carolinians depend on might be disrupted.
—Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 30 Sep. 2025
Williams edged the Bills’ Josh Allen and Ravens’ Lamar Jackson for the honor, while Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa inches up one spot to 18th overall.
—Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2025
With BeyondMimic, that vision inches closer to becoming everyday technology.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 1 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inches
Noun
-
Upstairs, corridors wrap around a striking double-height bamboo atrium—real moso bamboo is planted at the building's core.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Lindsay Lohan took this season’s fresh-off-the runway styles to new heights in a photoshoot shot 60 floors up on one of the most famous helipads in the world.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
As the Chinese men shoot the breeze and play cards, a mob of armed white miners gathers over the hill and encroaches on the unsuspecting outsiders.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Cloud Dancer, a white that is both warm and cool, reflects an overwhelmed feeling among consumers as the world feels louder and technology, in particular AI, encroaches further into our lives.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
4 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Rio’s staunch griminess, dreaming of whacking his brother and wanting to cut his nephew’s tongue for snitching, drags Fxce out into the open sea.—
Matthew Ritchie,
Pitchfork,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Even the managers can recognize when a game drags.—
Shawn McFarland,
Dallas Morning News,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Varley’s elevation this season is a wonderful turn for Ashbourne, an icon of British film, TV, and theater who has long been one of Bridgerton’s most consistently comedic presences.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Keep in mind that temperatures can vary quite a bit within the park, due to its wide range of elevation.—
Karthika Gupta,
Travel + Leisure,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
As the Bay Area slowly — some might say glacially — crawls into spring, there’s nothing better than sipping a hot cup of tea or coffee to warm yourself up.—
Kate Bradshaw,
Mercury News,
25 Feb. 2026
-
As with aftermarket switchable sway bar systems, drivers can lock the sway bars in place for better handling and stability at speed and unlock them completely for maximum articulation during bumpy rock crawls.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The curved shadow of the Earth that creeps across the moon during lunar eclipses is key to humankind’s understanding of our planet.—
Paul Rogers,
Mercury News,
25 Feb. 2026
-
This phase lasts 1 hour, 14 minutes as the deeper shadow creeps across the lunar face.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Sankey and Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti hired the FTI Consulting Firm, which pokes holes in virtually all of Campbell’s assumptions, including the idea that college sports could replicate NBA and NFL revenues by pooling their games.—
Eddie Pells,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Feb. 2026
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The paper pokes holes in virtually all of Campbell’s assumptions, including the idea that college sports could replicate NBA and NFL revenues by pooling their games.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inches. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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