incline

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verb

in·cline in-ˈklīn

inclined; inclining

Synonyms of incline next

intransitive verb

: to bend the head or body forward : bow

: to lean, tend, or become drawn toward an opinion or course of conduct

: to deviate from a line, direction, or course

specifically : to deviate from the vertical or horizontal

transitive verb

: to cause to stoop or bow : bend

: to have influence on : persuade

his love of books inclined him toward a literary career

: to give a bend or slant to

incliner noun

incline

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noun

in·cline ˈin-ˌklīn

: an inclined plane : grade, slope

Choose the Right Synonym for incline

incline, bias, dispose, predispose 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

bias suggests a settled and predictable leaning in one direction and connotes unfair prejudice.

the experience biased him against foreigners

dispose suggests an affecting of one's mood or temper so as to incline one toward something.

her nature disposes her to trust others

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

Verb She listened with her eyes closed and her head inclined. The road inclines at an angle of about 12 degrees. His love of books inclined him toward a literary career. Noun We drove up a steep incline to the summit. You can adjust the incline of the ramp.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Fridman has been sanctioned by the E.U. and the U.S. has sanctioned Alfa Bank, but not Kuzmichev, whose housing tastes incline to new construction condos with prewar finishes (a popular choice among oligarchs). —

Curbed, 3 Mar. 2022 If Wilson can return, that may incline coach Mike McDaniel to stick with the ground attack longer after getting away from it deeper in the loss to the Bills. —

David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 22 Dec. 2022 Neither the human body nor the musical instrument is a self-evident object, even if both incline towards the divine, even if both are contraptions of chamber and resonance, strings of strings. —

Spin Staff, SPIN, 16 Dec. 2022 The ProForm Pro 2000 has solid speed, topping out at 12 MPH, a weight capacity of 300 pounds, and the ability to incline quickly up to a 12% grade. —

Ebenezer Samuel, Men's Health, 13 Nov. 2022 Most spectators’ sympathies will incline immediately toward Gee, owing both to Kim’s sturdy affability and to our innate compassion for anyone demeaned or distrusted by officialdom. —

Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 5 Dec. 2022 The ProForm Pro 2000 has solid speed, topping out at 12 MPH, a weight capacity of 300 pounds, and the ability to incline quickly up to a 12% grade. —

Ebenezer Samuel, Men's Health, 13 Nov. 2022 The ProForm Pro 2000 has solid speed, topping out at 12 MPH, a weight capacity of 300 pounds, and the ability to incline quickly up to a 12% grade. —

Ebenezer Samuel, Men's Health, 13 Nov. 2022

Noun

This bench press variation can be done on either a flat or incline bench. —

Brett Williams, Men's Health, 11 Jan. 2023 That meant using a treadmill that only went up to around 7:00 miles and 10 percent incline—modest challenges for athletes of that caliber. —

Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 27 Dec. 2022 White House press secretary Karine Jean Pierre was pressed by Fox News' Peter Doocy on why gas prices are on another incline after President Biden assured the American public prices would ease, but attributed the blame to Russia. —

Andrew Murray, Fox News, 6 Oct. 2022 Locals brainstormed what to call the starting location, a precipitous incline on the Okanogan’s southern bank. —

Longreads, 9 Aug. 2022 But it is widely believed the babies died from asphyxiation caused by the 30-degree incline of the product. —

Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 10 Jan. 2023 Meanwhile the touchscreen display is flanked by quick key buttons to speed and incline, instead of repeatedly pressing a button. —

Ebenezer Samuel, Men's Health, 6 Jan. 2023 The pole technique is also different, and has different timing based on speed and trail incline. —

Maggie Slepian, Popular Mechanics, 13 Dec. 2022 Cyclists had to run up the side of a hill by Interstate 91, carrying their bikes, and the incline became progressively more slippery as the afternoon wore on, as did the turns and the slanted terrain on other parts of the course. —

Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 7 Dec. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'incline.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.