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
Star-Telegram Weather Bot, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 June 2026
Clear bags measuring up to 12 inches by 6 inches by 12 inches will be permitted, along with diaper bags and medically necessary bags.
—Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 6 June 2026
The grass-like foliage that grows 4 to 12 inches tall is the main identifying characteristic.
—Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2026
Ensure that your young peach tree is at least 12 to 18 inches tall before planting it outside.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 6 June 2026
Totals over the next 36 hours could range from a couple of inches to localized totals of around 6 to 8 inches.
—Lauren Bostwick, CBS News, 6 June 2026
Clover generally tends to pop up in grasses that are cut less than 3 inches tall.
—David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 6 June 2026
Hernandez was the only high jumper to clear 5 feet, 10 inches, while her triple jump score of 48 feet, 8 3/4 inches was more than an inch ahead of the second--place finisher.
—Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2026
Cade Filleman stood on the mound, 60-foot-6 inches away from delirium.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 31 May 2026
Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 28 May 2026
With yet another cliffhanger in tow, Paula inches closer and closer to the truth — and certain danger — setting off a cat-and-mouse game drawing the mom further into Dennis’ criminal orbit.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 24 May 2026
The car inches forward but does not clear the way.
—Erin Jones, CBS News, 7 Mar. 2026
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
Noun
Even 6 inches of swiftly moving water can forcefully knock you off your feet.
—Star-Telegram Weather Bot, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 June 2026
Clear bags measuring up to 12 inches by 6 inches by 12 inches will be permitted, along with diaper bags and medically necessary bags.
—Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 6 June 2026
The grass-like foliage that grows 4 to 12 inches tall is the main identifying characteristic.
—Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2026
Ensure that your young peach tree is at least 12 to 18 inches tall before planting it outside.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 6 June 2026
Totals over the next 36 hours could range from a couple of inches to localized totals of around 6 to 8 inches.
—Lauren Bostwick, CBS News, 6 June 2026
Clover generally tends to pop up in grasses that are cut less than 3 inches tall.
—David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 6 June 2026
Hernandez was the only high jumper to clear 5 feet, 10 inches, while her triple jump score of 48 feet, 8 3/4 inches was more than an inch ahead of the second--place finisher.
—Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2026
Cade Filleman stood on the mound, 60-foot-6 inches away from delirium.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 31 May 2026
Verb
Every generation inches it forward.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 28 May 2026
With yet another cliffhanger in tow, Paula inches closer and closer to the truth — and certain danger — setting off a cat-and-mouse game drawing the mom further into Dennis’ criminal orbit.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 24 May 2026
The car inches forward but does not clear the way.
—Erin Jones, CBS News, 7 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inches
Noun
-
Following a resurgence during the pandemic, participation numbers hit record heights last year.—
Jack Bantock,
CNN Money,
5 June 2026
-
These remind me of hers, but with a more approachable kitten heel height.—
Izzy Baskette,
PEOPLE,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
Paglen’s ideas, collected between two covers, carve a clean, linear path through our messy neural era, engaging in the kind of big-picture sense-making that books remain well suited to do, even as AI encroaches on this terrain.—
Louis Bury,
ARTnews.com,
1 May 2026
-
Meta, Anthropic and Apple all now use TPUs, as Google increasingly encroaches on a market cornered by Nvidia's graphics processing units.—
Katie Tarasov,
CNBC,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In a chilling sequence, Dennis ties a garbage bag over Mallory’s head and drags her into the woods.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
-
The United States’ stockpiles of crude oil, gasoline and diesel are falling fast as the war with Iran drags on.—
Kevin Liptak,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
In this volume are all the wild, enthused lines, stoked for life’s daily mysteries, and all the tender elevations that we have been used to experiencing in the poetry of Eileen Myles!—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 June 2026
-
Parking farther away, getting off public transit one stop early or walking kids to school all generate the kind of heart rate elevation the study tracked.—
Allison Palmer
June 1,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
At sunset, the city starts glowing around you while traffic crawls silently below.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
28 May 2026
-
Critics on the Croisette are starting to resemble that classic comic-strip panel in which an explorer crawls desperately across the sand toward an oasis that’s only a mirage.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
This is where over-reliance creeps in.—
Gregory Lipich,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
Hesitation creeps in, options narrow and teams begin playing within themselves.—
Rick Burton,
Sportico.com,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
In it, Grace can be seen playing a racing game while the Mallrats creator pokes fun at her driving skills.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 June 2026
-
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander apparently isn’t amused by a new board game that pokes fun at the Oklahoma City Thunder star’s reputation for garnering foul calls at the hint of contact by an opposing player.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inches. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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