inches 1 of 2

plural of inch
as in height
the distance of something or someone from bottom to top made the most of her inches by standing on her tiptoes to reach the top shelf

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inches

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of inch
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

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of inches
Noun
After a hard foul and subsequent yellow card by Mohannad Abu Taha, Argentina was set up with a free kick just inches outside the 18-yard box. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 June 2026 Even 6 inches of moving water can pose a serious risk of knocking you off your feet. Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 28 June 2026 Beshear said the storms were more severe than expected, bringing six to seven inches of rain in some parts of the state. Samantha Cookinham, NBC news, 27 June 2026 As the day inches closer, more details are seemingly getting confirmed. Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 27 June 2026 Remove 4 to 6 inches of new growth from poinsettias to encourage compact growth. Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 June 2026 Simply stick your finger 1-2 inches into the soil. Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 27 June 2026 Keep the mulch a few inches away from the trunk to prevent rot. Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 27 June 2026 For comparison, a great white’s teeth typically max out at about 2 inches. Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026
Verb
The rest of the film drags, the pacing falters, and the story inches toward a mediocre conclusion. Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 15 June 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inches
Noun
  • Platform Sandals Inspired by Martha Stewart Forget sky-high stilettos — Stewart is embracing a more comfortable way to add height.
    Nicol Natale, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026
  • The yacht features four guest cabins, including a full-beam owner's suite, and a luminous main deck with full-height glazing.
    Bill Springer, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
Verb
  • This revival finds new power in the intimate story of a family learning to love again set against one of the most consequential moments of the twentieth century, as the Nazi regime rises to power and authoritarianism encroaches on daily life.
    Greg Evans, Deadline, 23 June 2026
  • 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
Verb
  • There’s a sense that Kaprizov depends too much on Zuccarello and that Zuccarello drags Kaprizov into the east-west game that’s the opposite of how the Wild want to play.
    Michael Russo, New York Times, 24 June 2026
  • As the search drags on, the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners on Tuesday commended police for their efforts after weeks of shooting incidents brought international attention to the city’s gun violence problem as thousands of soccer fans visit for the FIFA World Cup.
    Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 24 June 2026
Noun
  • On southbound East Loop 820 frontage road between Lancaster Avenue to Meadowbrook Drive, elevation changes on the new roadway have led to the closure of some streets and road connections, but that frontage road and its accompanying streets are expected to reopen this fall.
    Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 June 2026
  • Starting Saturday, precipitation will concentrate in the mountains and bring snowfall to higher-elevation areas, particularly around Valley County and above Stanley, according to Hewko.
    Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 23 June 2026
Verb
  • Seltz’s system crawls hundreds of millions of pages a day, and returns results in under 200 milliseconds.
    Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 24 June 2026
  • At sunset, the city starts glowing around you while traffic crawls silently below.
    Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 28 May 2026
Verb
  • Misalignment creeps in simply because a high volume of choices are handed off to local leaders operating under distinct market pressures.
    Peter Ross, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
  • As our conversation extends into the hour mark, her hood creeps upward along the side of her face most visible to those around us.
    José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 23 June 2026
Verb
  • The second is a vent which pokes out above your clothes, to move warm air away from you.
    David Phelan, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
  • Perched on a finger of land that pokes into Lebanon, Metula is usually crowded with tourists this time of year.
    Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 23 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Inches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inches. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.

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