INCLINES Synonyms: 53 Similar and Opposite Words

inclines 1 of 2

noun

plural of incline

as in slopes

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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inclines

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of incline

as in tilts

to set or cause to be at an angle carefully inclined the ladder against the house

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as in tends

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

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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 inclines

Noun

Cows amble in the distance along the inclines of meadows; their grazing helps control invasive plants. — Kalpana Mohan, Mercury News, 10 Aug. 2026 Bert McCarty, a Clemson University professor of turfgrass science and management, said golfers like how top courses are so different — from incorporating the ocean in places near beaches to relying on inclines in the mountains. — ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026 The riverfront includes steep inclines, large rocks and uneven ground that can be difficult for workers or machinery to manage safely. — Sophia Buonpane, Kansas City Star, 29 June 2026 Combat travel stiffness with simple SITS exercises (shoulder shrugs, inclines, twists, steps) and consider chiropractic care before and after your trip for spinal alignment. — Sherry McAllister, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026 According to the project team, Pemba walked independently on sections of terrain with inclines of less than 30 degrees. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 8 June 2026 This two-lane highway runs parallel to the Rio Grande and is filled with mountain views, steep inclines, and dramatic switchbacks. — Gabi De La Rosa, Travel + Leisure, 7 June 2026 Some days will include hikes ranging from three to five miles on rocky, uneven terrain with some steep inclines. — Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 6 June 2026 During certain portions of the race, competitors are forced to scramble on all fours while navigating steep inclines and narrow descents. — Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 25 May 2026

Verb

And although Etna’s narrative voice—vulnerable, curious, endearingly direct—inclines the reader to envision the pluckiest good boy, humanity’s violence deprives him of a gentle youth. — Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026 These monsters—its antitheses—constitute that part of our nature that urges us to be sensible and strong, and that inclines us to see the life drive as trivial, weak, sentimental and immoral. — Literary Hub, 17 June 2026 The moon’s clash with Venus inclines you to projections. — Usa Today, USA Today, 12 Apr. 2026 It is rated to handle inclines up to 50% (27°) and is designed to tackle soft soil, mud, exposed roots and molehills without constant intervention. — New Atlas, 15 Mar. 2026 The simulation added challenges for the avatars — like slippery floors, inclines or stiff joints – and homed in on the best way for Atlas to perform the jumping jacks. — Bill Whitaker, CBS News, 5 Jan. 2026 Side inclines with a twist and teasers target your oblique muscles. — Health Editorial Team, Health, 20 Dec. 2025 Every participant walked and jogged on their folding treadmill at least four times a week, using various speeds and inclines to assess the machine’s versatility, durability, and comfort during use. — Claire Harmeyer, PEOPLE, 22 Sep. 2025 So, over the years, adventurous customizers have transplanted everything from Porsche engines to small-block V-8s into the model in an attempt to crest inclines at more than a snail’s pace. — Robert Ross, Robb Report, 19 Sep. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for inclines

Noun

On a hot Saturday, Pawlikowski and I revisited those heights—the slopes from which, for almost four years, starting in the spring of 1992, Serbian artillery pounded Sarajevo, which lies vulnerably cupped in the valley below.

— Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
As winds are forced up to 13,000 feet along the steep slopes of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, rapidly condensing air will squeeze out extra precipitation thanks to orographic lift.

— Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of slopes

Verb

If Mensah or Manning or Moore play consistently in big games and the playoffs, then the argument, in my view, tilts from Smith to one of the quarterbacks – if Willis doesn’t prove franchise QB-worthy in the months ahead.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 27 Sep. 2026
The time points to the moment when the Earth tilts equally toward and away from the Sun and brings nearly equal amounts of daylight to all latitudes.

— Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of tilts

Verb

Stuhlbarg, whose Vice President tends to cower in terror in the corner of the frame, becomes particularly evident as the movie’s comic secret weapon upon closer examination.

— Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 30 Sep. 2026
Speculation and reading the tea leaves within Chinese official announcement and state media reports also tends to intensify in the run-up to major Communist Party meetings.

— Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of tends

Noun

And a lot of the time, people who have these kinds of inclinations towards children are people who were children who were abused themselves.

— CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 25 Sep. 2026
The trustees feared that if something happened to him, his heir apparent, Robert Kahn, would replace him, and it was known that Kahn had Zionistic inclinations.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of inclinations

Verb

Adapting to the 20,000-seat Garden, Styles’s stage is a more streamlined semi-circle that still angles for maximum access, plus a little pop.

— Michelle Ruiz, Vogue, 28 Aug. 2026
Outdoor curtains lend some privacy while providing a bit of shade when the sun angles in at sunrise and sunset.

— Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 23 June 2026

Definition of angles

Verb

Downstairs, Angelica focuses on all-day European brasserie hits—rabbit rillettes, gravlax, and pickled cucumber salad—while the Bar Gambit leans moodier and more underground, attracting a particular post-work creative Fitzrovia crowd.

— Katharine Sohn, Architectural Digest, 2 Oct. 2026
The stone leans toward or away from the steel; the steel approaches or withdraws from the stone.

— Barry Schwabsky, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of leans

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“Inclines.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inclines. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of inclines

noun

verb

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