as in bowing
bending downward or forward
the inclining branches of the evergreens seemed almost ready to break under the weight of the heavy snow
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in tilting
to set or cause to be at an angle
carefully inclined the ladder against the house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in leaning
to show a liking or proneness (for something)
a good restaurant for diners who incline to spicy food
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 inclining
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2025
Outside a San Diego immigration court, a man, his mother, and his two daughters stand in a tight circle, inclining their heads toward a priest.
—Sophie Hills, Christian Science Monitor, 30 Aug. 2025
Verb
The trim and inclining experiment is to confirm the centre of gravity of the submarine and is measured by naval architects in both surfaced and submerged conditions.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2025
Outside a San Diego immigration court, a man, his mother, and his two daughters stand in a tight circle, inclining their heads toward a priest.
—Sophie Hills, Christian Science Monitor, 30 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inclining
Verb
-
Both Eichel and Marner have been Conn Smythe-worthy so far, scoring above a point-per-game rate while tilting the ice heavily with nearly 60 percent of the goals apiece.—
Dom Luszczyszyn,
New York Times,
31 May 2026
-
Even during what is generally considered the busy spring housing season, there are signs that overall power is tilting more toward buyers.—
Samantha Delouya,
CNN Money,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
Just a forehand shot away from the red clay courts, Auteuil is an authentic pocket of Paris that’s far from the tourist throngs—and the stereotypes sometimes saddled on it by east-leaning Parisians.—
Mary Winston Nicklin,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 June 2026
-
According to right-leaning economists, the Fed and other central banks enable government growth.—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Adjective
-
James O’Donoghue, a planetary scientist with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, likened our planet’s tilting phenomenon to a nodding head.—
Aylin Woodward,
WSJ,
21 Dec. 2021
Verb
-
And the white coral sand beach itself is stunning, gently sloping offshore—perfect for snorkeling when the ocean is calm.—
Laura Begley Bloom,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
-
Located next door to California High School, the park can get crowded on summer weekends, but the grounds are spacious enough that visitors can spread out, including on the sloping lawn shaded by redwood trees.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Tackling a personal to-do list alongside others is a double-duty activity that combines the satisfaction of tending to necessary chores with the no less vital work of nurturing relationships.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 June 2026
-
That's the reverse of recent elections, which saw more Democrats voting by mail and Republicans tending to vote in person on Election Day.—
Marisa Lagos,
NPR,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
With bowed heads, friends and classmates wrapped their arms around each other.—
Keri Heath,
Austin American Statesman,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Instead of your standard dress shoes, Styles finished the look with a perfect pair of minty-green ballet flats with bowed laces.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
2 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.—
David Mamet,
National Review,
11 Aug. 2022
-
The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.—
Helen Shaw,
Vulture,
8 Dec. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Inclining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inclining. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
