incline 1 of 2

as in slope
the degree to which something rises up from a position level with the horizon the steep incline of the hill meant that it was impossible to ride a bicycle up it

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incline

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to slope
to set or cause to be at an angle carefully inclined the ladder against the house

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2
as in to tend
to show a liking or proneness (for something) a good restaurant for diners who incline to spicy food

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word incline different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of incline are bias, dispose, and predispose. While all these words mean "to influence one to have or take an attitude toward something," incline implies a tendency to favor one of two or more actions or conclusions.

I incline to agree

In what contexts can bias take the place of incline?

In some situations, the words bias and incline are roughly equivalent. However, bias suggests a settled and predictable leaning in one direction and connotes unfair prejudice.

the experience biased him against foreigners

When could dispose be used to replace incline?

The words dispose and incline can be used in similar contexts, but dispose suggests an affecting of one's mood or temper so as to incline one toward something.

her nature disposes her to trust others

When would predispose be a good substitute for incline?

The words predispose and incline are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, predispose implies the operation of a disposing influence well in advance of the opportunity to manifest itself.

does fictional violence predispose them to accept real violence?

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 incline
Noun
The three tribes had to work together over a long and complicated obstacle course that involved pulling a sled full of puzzle pieces, moving heavy sandbags, pulling the sled up a steep incline and solving a giant puzzle. Emily Deletter, USA TODAY, 28 Feb. 2025 Its cooking grate has an incline to encourage fat and grease to fall into the drip tray. Bestreviews, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2025
Verb
But the next frontier of Kanopy’s growth is reaching people who don’t yet have a library card and might be inclined to sign up for one or seek one out. Brian Welk, IndieWire, 24 Apr. 2025 Steep inclines and uneven ground can add up and cause my pain to flare, but the Coachella grounds spared me from the worst of it. Lia Tabackman, Refinery29, 18 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for incline
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incline
Noun
  • Eleven days later, the Chinese team returned to the high slopes to make another attempt.
    Jenny Hall, CNN Money, 14 May 2025
  • Over the past several years, the resort has experienced significant growth through a three-year ski expansion project, which added new slopes, lifts and advanced snowmaking technology, driving an increase in winter guest visits.
    Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025
Verb
  • Midway through the period, though, the ice started to tilt in the other direction.
    Hailey Salvian, New York Times, 21 May 2025
  • But it was renamed The Land of Hope and Dreams tour earlier this month, and is clearly tilting in a more political direction now that Trump is back in the White House.
    Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 14 May 2025
Verb
  • These limited-time offers cover both name-brand gear and underrated gems, but inventory tends to move fast when prices dip this low.
    Shubham Yewale, PC Magazine, 20 May 2025
  • In practice, the marketing language around these tools tends not to capture the ways that actual humans use them.
    Damon Beres, The Atlantic, 20 May 2025
Noun
  • Analysts also see an inclination among some officials to keep certain communications private, not just from spies but also from government recordkeeping.
    Anna Mulrine Grobe, Christian Science Monitor, 8 May 2025
  • Conveniently dovetailing into some of the notions offered this weekend to Trump at Mar-a-Lago by Oscar-winner Voight and his team, Newsom’s pitch of a national tax incentive for big screen and small screen production is clearly aimed to appeal to Trump’s bigger-is-better inclinations.
    Dominic Patten, Deadline, 5 May 2025
Verb
  • Barry leans heavily on old clips of his writing to fill this book up, and that’s fine, but near the end the bag of leftovers grows soggy.
    Dwight Garner, New York Times, 19 May 2025
  • And leaned over like a cliff to release another waterfall.
    Patricia Lockwood, New Yorker, 18 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Incline.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incline. Accessed 27 May. 2025.

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