inroads

noun

plural of inroad
as in incursions
a sudden attack on and entrance into hostile territory the army is finally making inroads into enemy territory

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 inroads Indiana could be on the verge of establishing itself as annual contenders as long as Cignetti sticks around, as the Hoosiers have followed up their portal success by making inroads in high school recruiting. — ABC News, 30 July 2026 But liquor brands have made inroads into sports for more than a decade. — John Kell, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026 The county tax program referenced in the settlement is also expected to lead to inroads in the county’s ongoing legal battle with the Missouri State Tax Commission, which previously directed the county to roll back its 2023 assessments. — Ilana Arougheti july 23, Kansas City Star, 23 July 2026 Their momentum gives ammunition to Gandhi’s opposition party, which has lost many elections under Modi’s tenure but is looking to make inroads with young people, analysts said. — J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 21 July 2026 The data show white men dominating executive and senior manager roles at private companies, though women and minorities have made inroads, especially in the years following the #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements. — Alexandra Olson, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026 China’s trilemma Many see China’s currency making inroads, pointing to facts that more and more of China’s trade is settled in renminbi, not dollars. — Philipp Carlsson-Szlezak, Fortune, 17 July 2026 Asian athletes have made inroads into European football leagues. — Juliana Kim, NPR, 16 July 2026 Keisha Lance Bottoms is working to make inroads with Georgia’s rural voters as the Democrat runs for governor, Sophia Eppley reports. — Adam Beam, AJC.com, 16 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inroads
  1. incursions
  2. invasions
  3. raids
Noun
  • Despite all the incursions from the streaming space, broadcast TV remains the dominant vehicle by which to deliver live sports—and that dynamic isn’t likely to change much by the time Berg starts sitting down for formal chats with distributors.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • This is due to a growing sense throughout Europe that FIFA is seeking to make incursions into both UEFA’s dominance and income.
    — Adam Crafton, New York Times, 31 July 2026
Definition of incursions
Noun
  • Its post-9/11 wars in Iraq and Afghanistan involved brief invasions followed by years of relatively low-intensity counterinsurgency warfare that, whatever its difficulties, did not require mass stockpiles of munitions.
    — Phillips Payson O’Brien, The Atlantic, 3 Aug. 2026
  • While rhetoric is high, more plausible Iranian actions would involve asymmetric tactics or special operations, not conventional invasions, despite historical parallels to Saddam Hussein's unrealistic war plans.
    — Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Definition of invasions
Noun
  • On the streets of Brooklyn’s Little Haiti, DHS’ announcement had a quieting effect, as fears of federal immigration raids swept the community, locals told the Daily News.
    — Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Offer sheets can be sent, but teams will be aware of the practice and defend against such player raids.
    — Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 31 July 2026
Definition of raids

Browse Nearby Words

inroad
inroads
inrush
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Inroads.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inroads. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on inroads

Nglish: Translation of inroads for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of torpor

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All