by inches

idiom

: by a small amount, distance, or degree

The bullet missed my head by inches.

Examples of by inches in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

As recently as February, a boulder came crashing down the hillside, missing his home by inches. —

Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2025 Tom Brady on how the Chiefs compare to the Patriots dynasty | The Herd The Kansas City Chiefs are 11-1 and have won several games by inches, similar to the 2003/04 New England Patriots. —

Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 21 Dec. 2024 The ball missed Ronan Wynne’s head by inches before falling to an open Elie Kisoka for a nice one-touch goal with 13 seconds to play. —

Braidon Nourse, The Denver Post, 16 Nov. 2024 For an election that will be decided by inches and in which, according to Pew Research, 17% of U.S. adults own crypto, Democrats have let Trump come in and claim the issue as his own. —

Laura Shin, TIME, 29 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for by inches