1
2
as in to slit
to penetrate with a sharp edge (as a knife)
incised the tree with a sharp ax to get the sap flowing
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 incise
But don’t say that it won’t be mourned; don’t say these views of tree and leaf
and lawn and road and field won’t live
incised on someone’s retina.
—
Literary Hub,
2 Mar. 2026
Little climbed into a trench and bent over a vertical stone that was incised with a web of typically Orcadian geometric patterns.
—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
24 Nov. 2025
Ellen Greenberg, 27, was found in her apartment with nearly two dozen stab and incised wounds and a knife in her chest in January 2011, according to the Philadelphia Medical Examiner's office.
—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
13 Oct. 2025
To match its maritime origins, it was incised with designs of cavorting Tritons and surmounted with a silver Neptune riding a hippocampus—a lot of gaudy ornament around a big brown husk.
—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for incise
Literary Hub,
2 Mar. 2026
Little climbed into a trench and bent over a vertical stone that was incised with a web of typically Orcadian geometric patterns.
—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
24 Nov. 2025
Ellen Greenberg, 27, was found in her apartment with nearly two dozen stab and incised wounds and a knife in her chest in January 2011, according to the Philadelphia Medical Examiner's office.
—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
13 Oct. 2025
To match its maritime origins, it was incised with designs of cavorting Tritons and surmounted with a silver Neptune riding a hippocampus—a lot of gaudy ornament around a big brown husk.
—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for incise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incise
Verb
-
His work was later etched into metal plates and used to mass-produce publicity prints.
-
Evidence of this residue can be seen as water spots or etching glass surfaces, clean laundry that feels stiff and scratchy, and toilet bowl rings that trap bacteria.
Verb
-
Before police took him into custody, Tran slit his wrists, cut his neck and poked the blade into his stomach, but all of the wounds were superficial.
-
If it’s baked in a loaf pan, go ahead and slit the top of the batter before baking.
Verb
-
Ambrosio, smiling and waving to fans, was flanked by an entourage that included her 14-year-old son, Noah, whose name was inscribed on the back of his jersey.
-
Both his father and mother have tattoos dedicated to their youngest — Messi has Ciro's name and birth date inscribed on his calf, along with his brother's names.
Verb
-
Pizza Tascio — a Kansas City-area restaurant chain with seven existing locations — is about to slice its newest spot.
-
After being used only as a second-half substitute against Cape Verde, he was thrown in from the start on Sunday and wasted no time in making his presence felt, repeatedly slicing through the Saudi defense before turning home Mikel Oyarzabal's cross.
Verb
-
With her fingers, Guadalupe Espinoza lightly traced the lettering engraved on a slanted monument wedged alongside the courtyard at the LA Plaza de Culturas y Artes.
-
Vertical grooves in the glass trace the lines of agave fields outside Guadalajara, while the Roman numeral III engraved into the bottle and cap honors the third generation now shaping the González story.
Verb
-
Pride flags are once again blowing in the breeze on Kings Highway in Haddonfield, New Jersey, less than 48 hours after police say a man ripped most of them down in the middle of the borough's busy business district.
-
Sequined trousers resembled jeans, while ripped denim was finished with fine silver chains.
Verb
-
But that one course, Sugarloaf Golf Club, is also one of the few publics in the Northeast to have made Golf Digest’s Top 100, a Robert Trent Jones II classic with drop dead views on nearly every hole, carved from a gorgeous wilderness teeming with moose and other wildlife.
-
Expanding on sounds pioneered by his Memphis predecessors, such as Three 6 Mafia and 8Ball & MJG, Tay Keith carved his own lane.
Verb
-
Keywords Studios is slashing 128 jobs in San Francisco.
-
Nor slashing domestic draft bonuses from last year’s payout of $401 million to $200 million.
Cite this Entry
“Incise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incise. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
