1
as in step
a very small distance or degree
give them an inch, and they'll take a mile
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
1
as in to encroach
to advance gradually beyond the usual or desirable limits
every year the water inches further up the embankments, threatening to permanently engulf the island city
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of inch
Kenton Gewecke, ABC News, 21 Mar. 2025
The Blues came within inches of scoring twice — the first from a Faulk shot that rang off the post, and the second off a wraparound that Lankinen barely kept out.
—Harman Dayal, The Athletic, 21 Mar. 2025
Dominique Soguel, Christian Science Monitor, 27 Mar. 2025
Although fans were shocked by this new look, Olivia has been inching towards a darker aesthetic for a while now.
—Kleigh Balugo, StyleCaster, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inch
Noun
Oregon is expected to be hit with 10 inches of snow in the mountains during the day and into the evening Friday.
—Kenton Gewecke, ABC News, 21 Mar. 2025
The Blues came within inches of scoring twice — the first from a Faulk shot that rang off the post, and the second off a wraparound that Lankinen barely kept out.
—Harman Dayal, The Athletic, 21 Mar. 2025
Verb
Indeed, Damascus seems to be inching toward greater functionality, with uniformed traffic police on the streets and a steadier electricity supply.
—Dominique Soguel, Christian Science Monitor, 27 Mar. 2025
Although fans were shocked by this new look, Olivia has been inching towards a darker aesthetic for a while now.
—Kleigh Balugo, StyleCaster, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inch
Noun
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Hitting coach Kevin Long went to the top step to debrief Sosa with some video and a scouting report.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
1 Apr. 2025
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Its maiden and hero product, Rested, hones in on sleep as the fundamental step to optimizing cognitive and immune function.—
Bianca Salonga,
Forbes.com,
1 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
In an interview with Fox Business on Wednesday, Dimon said rising interest rates, sticky inflation, and widening credit spreads are setting the stage for a wave of financial strain among U.S. companies.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Apr. 2025
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The stage is being set for the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance’s milestone 10th anniversary gala.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The future of women’s boxing is now, and MVP is proud to lead the charge in taking the sport to unprecedented heights.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Apr. 2025
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This change makes the full height of the screen available for displaying photos rather than reserving a bar at the bottom just for buttons.—
Paul Monckton,
Forbes.com,
2 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
This demon used to be a giant boar, but was driven mad after being shot with an iron bullet, a sign that civilization is irreversibly encroaching on the natural world.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
31 Mar. 2025
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Brenda Deal, who wants to sell her house there, learned her garage and shed might be encroaching on the right of way, based on GIS maps.—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The average is dragged lower by the three most recent economic contractions, which were all atypical.—
Bill Stone,
Forbes.com,
6 Apr. 2025
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An elementary school teacher dragged a 3-year-old student across the floor of a room, causing injuries, West Virginia police said.—
Natalie Demaree,
Miami Herald,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Gaynes recommends applying it on the most intimate parts of the body: behind the knees, the crease at the elbow, the nape of the neck, and the small of the back.—
Venus Wong,
Refinery29,
1 Apr. 2025
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Hot flashes are a sudden feeling of warmth that most often affects the face, neck and chest and can cause sweating, according to the Mayo Clinic.—
Adrianna Rodriguez,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
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As for what’s next for Salke, sources around town noted that her new first-look production deal at Amazon actually sets her up for a new chapter that will somewhat free her from the creative constraints that come with answering to tech bosses.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
28 Mar. 2025
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The discovery has opened a dramatic new chapter in the hunt for insights into af Klint and her universe.—
Jay Cheshes,
Smithsonian Magazine,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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If no shelter is available, crawl to an interior wall away from windows.—
Helena Wegner,
Sacbee.com,
4 Apr. 2025
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Senators from both sides of the aisle are reigniting efforts to crawl back technology companies’ legal immunities with hopes bipartisan support in Congress could push the bill across the finish line this session and gain the backing of President Trump.—
Miranda Nazzaro,
The Hill,
2 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inch. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
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