1
2
as in canyons
a narrow opening between hillsides or mountains that can be used for passage
try to get through the notch before the storm blows in
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in steps
an individual part of a process, series, or ranking
sales for the album increased, and it moved up another notch on the music charts
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 notches
Paul Ridden
june 22,
New Atlas,
22 June 2026
Hukporti is trying to turn Shamet up several notches.
—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
14 June 2026
Such a reader would be even more exasperated by The End of Everything, which turns the dial up several notches.
—
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
Although the upgrade leaves Argentina several notches below investment status, the vote of confidence advances Milei's goal of bringing the crisis-prone economy back to global capital markets six years after Argentina defaulted on its foreign debt for the ninth time.
—
ABC News,
11 June 2026
Mounted on an axis, the silver wheels with satisfying notches in them can be rotated, pushed side-to-side, and back-and-forth.
—
Joel Feder,
The Drive,
11 June 2026
There have long been ubiquitous foods and drinks associated with the Slams—like the Pimm’s Cup at Wimbledon since 1971 and Honey Deuces at the US Open—but in recent years, food offerings have been taken up a few good notches.
—
Rachel Chang,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 June 2026
These tools are thin, flimsy, and built with barbed notches on the side that are used to grabbing hair and break through soap scum or other debris to remove them from your drain.
—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
8 May 2026
The agency’s Ba2 rating on South Africa’s sovereign debt — two notches below investment grade — will not be affected.
—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
4 May 2026
Noun
And if your wallet is feeling particularly flush with cash, an ambient-light-rejecting (ALR)/Fresnel screen will bump up the quality of the cinema experience by several notches.
—
Paul Ridden
june 22,
New Atlas,
22 June 2026
Hukporti is trying to turn Shamet up several notches.
—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
14 June 2026
Such a reader would be even more exasperated by The End of Everything, which turns the dial up several notches.
—
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
Although the upgrade leaves Argentina several notches below investment status, the vote of confidence advances Milei's goal of bringing the crisis-prone economy back to global capital markets six years after Argentina defaulted on its foreign debt for the ninth time.
—
ABC News,
11 June 2026
Mounted on an axis, the silver wheels with satisfying notches in them can be rotated, pushed side-to-side, and back-and-forth.
—
Joel Feder,
The Drive,
11 June 2026
There have long been ubiquitous foods and drinks associated with the Slams—like the Pimm’s Cup at Wimbledon since 1971 and Honey Deuces at the US Open—but in recent years, food offerings have been taken up a few good notches.
—
Rachel Chang,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 June 2026
These tools are thin, flimsy, and built with barbed notches on the side that are used to grabbing hair and break through soap scum or other debris to remove them from your drain.
—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
8 May 2026
The agency’s Ba2 rating on South Africa’s sovereign debt — two notches below investment grade — will not be affected.
—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
4 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for notches
Noun
-
The fundraising comes as analysts remain bullish on the outlook for AI memory chips, arguing that supply constraints in high-bandwidth memory are likely to persist for years as hyperscalers continue ramping up AI infrastructure spending.
-
Reggano Ranch and Bacon Pasta Salad Kit Reggano Ranch and Bacon Pasta Salad Kit includes pasta, vegetables, seasoning, and imitation bacon chips for a quick side dish.
Noun
-
At Garland Ranch, trails climb from the Carmel River through oak woodland, chaparral and shaded canyons with the sort of views that drew people to California in the first place.
-
The drive from Las Vegas offers more to see and do along the way, including exploring narrow slot canyons in stunning Cathedral Gorge State Park and wandering through the infamous Wild West town of Pioche, Nevada.
Noun
-
Follow the steps below to get your backsplash clean before your next cooking marathon.
-
The incident happened steps away from New York’s Department of Sanitation facility on 12th Ave.
Verb
-
Why are there currently rappers from Orlando and Virginia assimilating mid-2000s NYC litefeet grooves into their sound?
-
So, let’s close out Night 2 with a big helping of soulful island reggae grooves from Maui’s Maoli on the HelloFresh Stage.
Noun
-
The cap-sleeve tee has pintucked pleats across the chest, side slits, and a subtly relaxed fit.
-
The pair of breezy pants feature a tie at the waist and thigh-high slits on either side of her legs, creating the illusion of a wrap skirt.
Noun
-
The face of the moon never looks the same from one night to the next, as the shifting angle between the moon and sun causes sunlight to sweep across its surface, altering the shadows cast by craters, mountain ranges and ravines.
-
Madeira’s cliffs and ravines are difficult enough that many walking holidays there are guided and focused on one part of the island, including the eight-mile forest hike through Ribeiro Frio.
Noun
-
That leaves the team third in Group C with three points, needing a draw or potentially a narrow loss against Brazil to make it out of the group.
-
Along with her 17 points, Thornton was key in keeping Reese and the rest of the daunted Atlanta front court at bay.
Verb
-
Despite similar themes and predictable plot points, the series carves out its own lane.
-
There are so many delightful elements of the piece, including an ensemble that carves out exquisite texture through Reshma Gajjar’s lively and thrilling choreography.
Cite this Entry
“Notches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/notches. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
