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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of inch
Hali Smith, Sacbee.com, 30 Apr. 2026
Some types, like nountain sedge (Carex montana), remain fairly short—about six inches high.
—Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 30 Apr. 2026
Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Australia’s nuclear-submarine acquisition plan is inching a step closer to reality with the United States’ new contract.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inch
Noun
The case should weigh 50 pounds or less, and falling within Southwest’s standard bag size limit of 62 inches or less.
—Hali Smith, Sacbee.com, 30 Apr. 2026
Some types, like nountain sedge (Carex montana), remain fairly short—about six inches high.
—Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 30 Apr. 2026
Verb
One company has been diligently working on something like that and claims to be inching ever closer.
—Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Australia’s nuclear-submarine acquisition plan is inching a step closer to reality with the United States’ new contract.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inch
Noun
-
Clarify one expectation or next step.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2026
-
The lawsuit was updated as Kennedy took more steps that alarmed medical societies, causing the plaintiffs to ask Murphy to take steps to address those policy changes too.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Maybe the stage in which lucid dreams occur doesn’t involve as many creative leaps.—
Shayla Love,
New Yorker,
1 May 2026
-
The sole non-performer to take the stage for an award was ASCAP’s Elizabeth Matthews, being honored as Executive of the Year, after an introduction from Kim Petras.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The documentary chronicled the height of outlaw country, which saw Coe in good company — Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Steve Earle, and the Charlie Daniels Band are also featured.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Cut up to half the sedge's height in early spring to thin it out.—
Lee Wallender,
The Spruce,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Space can also prove an issue, because some school administrators see even tiny gardens in 5-gallon buckets as encroaching on their schools’ playgrounds.—
Shelley Mitchell,
The Conversation,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Songs here that start off surprisingly bracing resolve into big, sleek choruses, the work of firm believers in the power of heroic, high-protein mainstream alt-rock as a salve against encroaching darkness.—
Jon Dolan,
Rolling Stone,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
As the Iran war drags on, concerns over rising gas prices and other costs have ballooned, sending consumer sentiment plummeting.—
Eleanor Mueller,
semafor.com,
30 Apr. 2026
-
But now, in a last-ditch attempt to save the whale, a team has loaded Timmy onto a specialized barge to essentially drag it to the North Sea.—
K. R. Callaway,
Scientific American,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
James died after Gavin stomped on her neck and chest on April 30, 2019, the DA’s office said.—
Dennis Romero,
NBC news,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Initially treated as a death by natural causes, the case was later ruled a homicide after an undertaker noticed a knife wound on the back of her neck.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Spartans and the Punishers are the latest chapter in the spotty history of Colorado arena football, which has been unable to sustain long-term momentum.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
26 Apr. 2026
-
As the Tag Heuer Formula 1 watches have continued to adapt and evolve alongside design, tech and cultural sensibilities, the introduction of the Tag Heuer Solargraph movement last year — which harnesses light as an energy source — marked a new chapter in the collection’s history.—
Fairchild Studio,
Footwear News,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
However, during one segment of the performance, a snake reportedly bit the German tourist after crawling into his clothing.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Wages for hourly employees have crawled, while the paychecks of investors and executives have soared.—
Annie Lowrey,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inch. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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