1
as in imperceptible
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Dissimilar Words
2
as in ambling
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
1
as in encroaching
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 dragging
to move slowly
the car inched carefully across the snow-covered causeway
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of inching
Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 15 June 2026
And according to a senior administration official who briefed reporters Friday, the two sides are inching closer to a deal that would require Iran to turn its enriched uranium over to the US.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 13 June 2026
The Miami Dolphins wrapped up the offseason program this week and are inching closer to the start of the 2026 season, where the franchise will be unveiling a new offensive scheme that’s led by a first-year starting quarterback and a new defense that features four returning starters.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 12 June 2026
Costs are inching down as tomatoes from California and other parts of the US reach local markets.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 12 June 2026
While the latter project captures a moment of geopolitical paranoia, the new film finds the planet inching toward the brink of destruction without any outside help.
—Jesse Hassenger, Entertainment Weekly, 12 June 2026
After the crash, as seen in the trooper's dashcam footage, an officer from another vehicle appears to be pointing a gun at the upturned vehicle while inching closer to it.
—Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 9 June 2026
The Evans and Rosedale Urban Village project in Fort Worth is inching closer to a potential summer groundbreaking.
—Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 June 2026
But the fly has broken through control efforts in Central America and has been inching closer.
—ArsTechnica, 3 June 2026
Verb
Slammiversary card builds out Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA)’s Slammiversary is inching closer.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 15 June 2026
And according to a senior administration official who briefed reporters Friday, the two sides are inching closer to a deal that would require Iran to turn its enriched uranium over to the US.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 13 June 2026
The Miami Dolphins wrapped up the offseason program this week and are inching closer to the start of the 2026 season, where the franchise will be unveiling a new offensive scheme that’s led by a first-year starting quarterback and a new defense that features four returning starters.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 12 June 2026
Costs are inching down as tomatoes from California and other parts of the US reach local markets.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 12 June 2026
While the latter project captures a moment of geopolitical paranoia, the new film finds the planet inching toward the brink of destruction without any outside help.
—Jesse Hassenger, Entertainment Weekly, 12 June 2026
After the crash, as seen in the trooper's dashcam footage, an officer from another vehicle appears to be pointing a gun at the upturned vehicle while inching closer to it.
—Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 9 June 2026
The Evans and Rosedale Urban Village project in Fort Worth is inching closer to a potential summer groundbreaking.
—Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 June 2026
But the fly has broken through control efforts in Central America and has been inching closer.
—ArsTechnica, 3 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inching
Adjective
-
My dream foundation is one that conceals blemishes but is so imperceptible that people will ask me about my skin care routine.—
Kaelin Dodge,
InStyle,
16 June 2026
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All videos created with Omni will include Google's imperceptible digital watermark, SynthID, but Google is also adding content credentials verification to the Gemini app.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 May 2026
Adjective
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Brunson was too small (6-foot-2), not long enough (with a 6-foot-4 wingspan) and too plodding.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
3 June 2026
-
Neither is known for having much of an off-the-dribble game that could hurt the plodding Porzingis or Horford.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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For instance, Williams’s looping descriptions of the encroaching wilderness can be quite compelling, but there is something off about them.—
Hannah Gold,
New Yorker,
17 June 2026
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Having trekked the territory with his trusty surveyor’s compass, and in the absence of anyone else rash enough to do it, Washington volunteers to deliver an ultimatum to the encroaching French forces.—
James Parker,
The Atlantic,
16 June 2026
Verb
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Mbappé has already been a hero for his country, winning the World Cup in 2018 and scoring a hat-trick in the 2022 final while almost dragging his team to an unlikely defense of the title.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
16 June 2026
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Avoid activities that could create a spark, including campfires, outdoor burning and dragging trailer chains.—
Joe Ruch,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
The tapered rear end is charming, especially the vertical fins and rear lighting elements that create a shape unlike anything else on the road.—
Tim Stevens,
Robb Report,
19 June 2026
-
Crafted from oak with an umber finish, its tapered pedestal base and subtle molding lend a quietly traditional feel.—
Rachel Fletcher,
Architectural Digest,
19 June 2026
Adjective
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Thomas missed 57 games last season, mostly because of the same lingering left hamstring issue.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
4 Feb. 2026
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On the one hand, that means that many survive the disease without serious lingering effects.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
18 Dec. 2025
Verb
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But the sheer brutality and creeping terror of the simplistic opening scene makes the rest of the film — with its gratuitous set pieces and CGI gore — seem much more inelegant.—
Brianna Zigler,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 June 2026
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This is particularly true for people with mild hypertension or those whose blood pressure has just started creeping into the elevated range.—
Maggie O'Neill,
Verywell Health,
12 June 2026
Verb
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For cybersecurity companies, identifying a digital agent crawling a website used to be enough evidence of malicious activity.—
Rachyl Jones,
semafor.com,
17 June 2026
-
The challenge, of course, is that cleaning baseboards often involves crawling around on hands and knees, a task few people are eager to do.—
Jamie Cuccinelli,
Martha Stewart,
13 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inching. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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