inch 1 of 2

1
2
as in stage
an individual part of a process, series, or ranking inch by inch, we're making progress toward our fund-raising goal

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3
as in height
inches plural the distance of something or someone from bottom to top made the most of her inches by standing on her tiptoes to reach the top shelf

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inch

2 of 2

verb

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

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2

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 inch
Noun
Typically grown as annuals, smaller varieties peak between 15-30 inches tall and flower in a range of vibrant hues. Lauren Dunec Hoang, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 July 2025 Rainfall rates in excess of 2 to 4 inches per hour are likely with some storms. John Bacon, USA Today, 18 July 2025
Verb
Some of the highest rates of COVID-19 in emergency rooms are in the Pacific Northwest, which saw a steep rise in ER visits during June, and in the Southeast, which has seen rates steadily inch up for weeks. Sarah Lynch Baldwin, CBS News, 11 July 2025 But consumer prices in June staged an early recovery, inching up 0.1% from the same period last year. Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 9 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for inch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inch
Noun
  • Taking their mission a step beyond, a portion of every purchase goes to nonprofits that are dedicated to supporting survivors of human trafficking.
    Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 July 2025
  • New Hampshire law even goes a step further to prohibit deepfakes of any kind that cause reputational harm, including deepfakes of political candidates.
    Angela Eichhorst, Hartford Courant, 15 July 2025
Noun
  • After playing a round Saturday (July 12) at the American Century Championship, Romano hit the stage with a live band and backup vocalists in a New York Jets T-shirt and backward cap.
    Michael Saponara, Billboard, 15 July 2025
  • The Favors will hit the stage at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado, and Central Park Summerstage in New York.
    Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 15 July 2025
Noun
  • That said, every year that goes by, their anxiety reaches new heights.
    R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 20 July 2025
  • The feud between President Donald Trump and Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell reached new heights this week.
    Fred Imbert, CNBC, 18 July 2025
Verb
  • In fact, city officials argue that homeowners who have built fences or garden beds close to the trail in the last three decades have encroached on the city's easement.
    Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 3 July 2025
  • But after the acquisition, the company decided that damage to the property from a previous fire and vandals, along with issues around the building encroaching on property lines with the city, made reopening unviable.
    Matthew Odam, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Verb
  • Pitmaster Roy Perez ceremoniously dragged a metal tub of hot coals up Commerce Street to transfer the fire from the old pits to the new ones.
    Robert F. Moss, Southern Living, 23 July 2025
  • The season ends with Sophie dragging Kyle’s body through the woods and to the edge of a cliff, dropping it in the water below.
    Melissa Locker, Time, 23 July 2025
Noun
  • He was found unresponsive in his cell, lying on his side with his jumpsuit tied around his neck, according to the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office.
    Rey Covarrubias Jr, AZCentral.com, 20 July 2025
  • Still, the Frenchman stuck around and took Serie B by the scruff of the neck, scoring 18 league goals to win the Paolo Rossi (top scorer) award ahead of Spezia starlet Francesco Pio Esposito (17), while comfortably beating his Neroverdi teammates Nicholas Pierini (10) and Samuele Mulattieri (9).
    David Ferrini, Forbes.com, 19 July 2025
Noun
  • The next chapter of paradise will soon be unveiled to future homeowners in this one-of-a-kind luxury destination.
    Kim Westerman, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025
  • That was the start of her chapter as a serial entrepreneur, later scaling her sustainable food app Too Good to Go to a massive success.
    Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 25 July 2025
Verb
  • Insects and other pests like rodents can easily crawl inside and make themselves at home.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 19 July 2025
  • This remains a place where crabs crawl out of the water at sunset, stingrays swim around surfers in the Pacific, and languidly smiling sloths—the national mascot—remind us all to slow down.
    Laura Dannen Redman, AFAR Media, 16 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Inch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inch. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.

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