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
Chang-Rae Lee, New Yorker, 3 May 2026
Once detected, disease should be pruned out several inches below the infected area.
—Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 May 2026
Phillips is around 5 feet, 2 inches tall and weighs around 130 pounds.
—Kendrick Calfee
may 2, Kansas City Star, 2 May 2026
Working with Boss Architecture, the Feins replaced the wiring and electrical, raised the ceiling height 6 inches, and added 600 square feet to the rear of the house.
—Sara B. Hansen, Denver Post, 2 May 2026
According to Gifford and Irish-Hanson, about 3 inches of mulch is a reliable guideline for most garden beds.
—Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 2 May 2026
Check soil moisture with your finger or an inexpensive water meter and water plants when the upper one to two inches feels dry.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 2 May 2026
Each day, the Mighty Argo Cable Car project in Colorado's foothills inches closer to a big opening to the public.
—Alan Gionet, CBS News, 2 May 2026
From a massive wingspan (82 3/8 inches) to his big frame, Jones offers plenty of upside to go along with tons of SEC experience.
—Sam Warren, New York Times, 25 Apr. 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
The blade was at least ten inches long and double-edged, honed on one side with a wavy scalloped finish, the other a jagged toothing like a lumberjack’s saw.
—Chang-Rae Lee, New Yorker, 3 May 2026
Once detected, disease should be pruned out several inches below the infected area.
—Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 May 2026
Phillips is around 5 feet, 2 inches tall and weighs around 130 pounds.
—Kendrick Calfee
may 2, Kansas City Star, 2 May 2026
Working with Boss Architecture, the Feins replaced the wiring and electrical, raised the ceiling height 6 inches, and added 600 square feet to the rear of the house.
—Sara B. Hansen, Denver Post, 2 May 2026
According to Gifford and Irish-Hanson, about 3 inches of mulch is a reliable guideline for most garden beds.
—Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 2 May 2026
Check soil moisture with your finger or an inexpensive water meter and water plants when the upper one to two inches feels dry.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 2 May 2026
Each day, the Mighty Argo Cable Car project in Colorado's foothills inches closer to a big opening to the public.
—Alan Gionet, CBS News, 2 May 2026
From a massive wingspan (82 3/8 inches) to his big frame, Jones offers plenty of upside to go along with tons of SEC experience.
—Sam Warren, New York Times, 25 Apr. 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
-
The documentary chronicled the height of outlaw country, which saw Coe in good company — Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Steve Earle, and the Charlie Daniels Band are also featured.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Cut up to half the sedge's height in early spring to thin it out.—
Lee Wallender,
The Spruce,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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
Verb
-
The trio pulled up on e-bikes, drove up to the entrance of the Information Center and began shouting and taking pictures, pausing to take drags off a vape while peering through the shuttered doors.—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Work fewer than 35 years and the SSA plugs zeros into the missing slots, which drags your benefit down.—
Allison Palmer,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The drawings contained in the design plans show the front elevation, top and projection of the president's desk in the Oval Office.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
-
At roughly 12,400 feet elevation, surrounded by steep terrain, loose rock and snow, there was no safe way up or down.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Think about how often your toddler crawls near the dog bed or your kids toss pet toys around the living room.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Apr. 2026
-
In the book, Grace drags Rocky back to his part of the ship, exposing himself to the Eridian environment; in the film, Rocky crawls back while Grace is unconscious.—
Matthew Razak,
Space.com,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Mildew creeps along the corners of the tub.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Win it, and suddenly the series tightens, the doubt creeps in and the path gets a lot more complicated for Orlando.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Kym is the family fuckup and a guilty party to its biggest tragedy but also constantly pokes the bear as its selfish verbal assassin.—
Chris Feil,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
-
Instead, the robot simply pokes through it.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inches. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
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