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
Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 22 Mar. 2026
Accessibility Accessible guest rooms with mobility features have doorways with 32 inches of clear width, there are multiple elevators available, and the swimming pool is accessible to wheelchair users.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Mar. 2026
That's about 3 full inches below normal by this point in the calendar year.
—Roberto Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 21 Mar. 2026
Parts of Oahu received 8 to 12 inches of rain overnight.
—Jennifer Sinco Kelleher, Chicago Tribune, 21 Mar. 2026
Some 33 inches fell in just 24 hours at Haleakalā crater, near the island’s summit.
—Evan Bush, NBC news, 20 Mar. 2026
Somehow, Forsyth managed to shift the file cabinet over a few inches, enough for four group members to get inside.
—Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026
Flood watches are in effect for the Hawaiian Islands through Sunday, with at least 2 to 7 inches of rain possible during the event.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 20 Mar. 2026
For the occasion, my mother had put on her Balenciaga, a black dress with two wide shoulder straps, a firm bodice, a full skirt that ended a few inches above the ankles, and the illusion of an underskirt supplied by a band of taffeta ruffles, also black, that peeked out from beneath the hem.
—Han Ong, New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2026
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
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
Noun
Fingerhut said his organization had warned federal officials just a day before the Michigan attack that the risk of violence was escalating, describing the incident as coming within inches of becoming something far worse.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 22 Mar. 2026
Accessibility Accessible guest rooms with mobility features have doorways with 32 inches of clear width, there are multiple elevators available, and the swimming pool is accessible to wheelchair users.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Mar. 2026
That's about 3 full inches below normal by this point in the calendar year.
—Roberto Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 21 Mar. 2026
Parts of Oahu received 8 to 12 inches of rain overnight.
—Jennifer Sinco Kelleher, Chicago Tribune, 21 Mar. 2026
Some 33 inches fell in just 24 hours at Haleakalā crater, near the island’s summit.
—Evan Bush, NBC news, 20 Mar. 2026
Somehow, Forsyth managed to shift the file cabinet over a few inches, enough for four group members to get inside.
—Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026
Flood watches are in effect for the Hawaiian Islands through Sunday, with at least 2 to 7 inches of rain possible during the event.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 20 Mar. 2026
For the occasion, my mother had put on her Balenciaga, a black dress with two wide shoulder straps, a firm bodice, a full skirt that ended a few inches above the ankles, and the illusion of an underskirt supplied by a band of taffeta ruffles, also black, that peeked out from beneath the hem.
—Han Ong, New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inches
Noun
-
Betty, attempting to paper over her unthinkable loss, dresses Laura in her daughter’s clothes, gives her her daughter’s place at family meals, has her daughter’s bike fixed to Laura’s height.—
Holden Seidlitz,
New Yorker,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Learn about Outside Online's affiliate link policy Arborists work in a world of extreme heights and life-or-death consequences every day.—
Calin Van Paris,
Outside,
19 Mar. 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
-
But if the situation drags on, higher energy prices could start to weigh more heavily on the global economy, hurting consumers, slowing growth, and keeping markets under pressure.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Travel expert Clint Henderson of The Points Guy website told Fox News Digital that as the shutdown drags on, flight passengers can expect the situation to only get worse.—
Ashley J. DiMella,
FOXNews.com,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Wildflowers started blooming here late last year and are mostly past their prime at lower elevations, including at popular viewing sites Henderson Canyon Road and Coyote Canyon.—
Jessie Schiewe,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Overnight lows in the upper 50s to low 60s will offer some relief to the lower elevations but will offer minimal relief within the higher elevations.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Shops at Yale recently announced the return of the New Haven food crawls and have added a date in December, according to a statement.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
18 Mar. 2026
-
On Polymarket’s tab for Bitcoin, a line graph crawls along like a seismograph, showing the price to beat as the total cost fluctuates by hundreds of dollars a second.—
Joe Wilkins Published Mar 18,
Futurism,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The same game of legislative chicken now starts anew as the calendar creeps toward April.—
Steve Bousquet,
Sun Sentinel,
14 Mar. 2026
-
This time round, though, an unfortunate silliness sometimes creeps in, where the film risks tipping over Shakespearean-size emotions into embarrassing bathos.—
Miriam Balanescu,
IndieWire,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Kellner pokes a ball into the soft spot in left-center, scoring two runs.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Your 9th House of Journeys takes focus as the Moon pokes Jupiter in your more localized 3rd house.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inches. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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