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
Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2025
Typically, there are about 200,000 fibers in a square inch of microfiber cloth, which gives it its signature soft and lint-free feel.
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Oct. 2025
Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2025
This means the Hogsett administration cannot simply shift money from its existing public safety or transportation budgets to inch closer to that amount.
—Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inch
Noun
Sirindhorn’s dragon millipedes have about 20 body segments and can reach just over an inch in length, the study said.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2025
Typically, there are about 200,000 fibers in a square inch of microfiber cloth, which gives it its signature soft and lint-free feel.
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
PepsiCo shares inched up less than 1% after the snack and beverage giant reported better-than-expected revenue in the third quarter despite weaker demand for its snacks and drinks in North America.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2025
This means the Hogsett administration cannot simply shift money from its existing public safety or transportation budgets to inch closer to that amount.
—Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inch
Noun
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The product marks Kohler’s first step under its new wellness division, Kohler Health, which aims to bring medical-grade insights into everyday routines.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Both characters struggle with the weight of their guilt, but where Cole has fallen deeper into cruelty, Grasso takes the first step on a path to redemption.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
But BoxGroup’s lane has long been to join a dizzying number of early-stage rounds, allowing the firm to take smaller positions while working hand-in-hand with other firms.—
Leo Schwartz,
Fortune,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Bad Bunny represents none of these values; his drag performances and style are the opposite of what families expect on football's biggest stage.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
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While most of us on the plane were in this same unexpected predicament, a passenger nearby didn't seem to be sharing in our misery thanks to a compact gadget propped up their phone to the perfect viewing height.—
Anita Katee,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Oct. 2025
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In recent years, though, the popularity of the celebs-on-a-yacht genre has reached new heights.—
Naomi Fry,
New Yorker,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The partnership was formed to address the invasive trees and shrubs encroaching on the natural grasslands in TNC's Folsom Point Preserve in Iowa, which is located just over 12 miles from Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo.—
Kelli Bender,
PEOPLE,
17 Oct. 2025
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Ideal for the coats-and-boots season fastly encroaching.—
Miriam Schwartz,
Boston Herald,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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His low cross found Pascal Gross for a tap-in at the far post after Luke Shaw had been dragged central trying to cut off Adam Lallana.—
Laurie Whitwell,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
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Vader moves the blade, raises it, but the shadow seems to only deepen, the pull of the dark side suddenly stronger, a riptide that threatens to drag him under.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The living room, encased in dark mahogany panelling, looked onto a drab alleyway filled with trash bins, and the apartment’s two floors were connected by a narrow spiral staircase that risked putting parents in mind of a broken neck.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
20 Oct. 2025
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Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Center for Renewing America fellows had written two more chapters in the report.—
Andy Kroll,
ProPublica,
18 Oct. 2025
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The premiere episode of Boston Blue kicked off the next chapter of the Blue Bloods saga on CBS.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The innovation could pave the way for medical tools that move through the body’s arteries or inspection devices that crawl into complex machinery.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Oct. 2025
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Over three hours, small groups navigate a challenging underground world, scrambling over boulders, belly-crawling through narrow passages, and squeezing through tight spaces to discover hidden marble wonders.—
Heide Brandes,
AFAR Media,
15 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inch. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
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