INCHED Synonyms: 43 Similar and Opposite Words

inched

verb

Definition of inched

past tense of inch

as in encroached

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

Relevance

as in dragged

to move slowly the car inched carefully across the snow-covered causeway

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 inched This is not uncommon — women make up 4% of laureates since the award’s inception, though that has inched up to 12% in the past decade. — O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026 The defense has inched closer to the line of scrimmage, leaving some gaps behind them. — Sam McDowell 7, Kansas City Star, 7 Oct. 2026 Martin notes that the speed bump Skydance hit in the approval process — the antitrust lawsuit filed by 12 states — cost them probably another $500 million in higher interest fees on short-term debt as rates have inched up. — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026 Sixers fans that inched near the court screamed and outright begged James to stop and turnaround and pose for pictures. — ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026 The share of adults who are working or looking for work inched up by two-tenths of a percent. — Scott Horsley, NPR, 2 Oct. 2026 Thomas County Central inched up in the national rankings and Lee County took a tumble after the two South Georgia powerhouses met in Leesburg last week. — Chip Saye, AJC.com, 1 Oct. 2026 The Astros inched closer to getting a new stadium in downtown Houston 30 years ago this month. — J.r. Gonzales, Houston Chronicle, 27 Sep. 2026 Though Best Original Song can seem impenetrable, as the Music Branch that determines the shortlist and nominees for the category has its own insular politics, Swift has inched her way closer to a nomination with every song she’s written for a film. — Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 26 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for inched

Verb

Wildfires encroached on major European cities, a once unthinkable threat.

— Justin Worland, Time, 3 Oct. 2026
But gambling, for me, encroached on parts of my life that had not, until recently, felt like transactions.

— Dan Horn, Cincinnati Enquirer, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of encroached

Verb

Students sitting with arms linked at the elbows could only see in shards through a picket of shin guards, restricting their view of the area where classmates and roommates were dragged one by one and zip-tied face down on the spring grass.

— Sophie Landres, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
As Findley dragged the driver from the truck, Deputy Chase Blatt, driving north on I-35, saw the fire and the driver being pulled from the truck.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of dragged

Verb

In a historic first, two olive ridley sea turtles crawled out of the sea within the second week of September and laid their eggs in pits of sand in Seal Beach and Huntington Beach.

— Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
The technology isn’t perfect, Walsh said; if Gus had crawled beneath a bush to sleep, the camera wouldn’t necessarily find him.

— Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of crawled

Verb

Orange is 5-0 for the first time since 2017 and has also crept into the final spot of The Times’ top 25 rankings for the Southland.

— Caleb Otte, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2026
Twisty the clown crept around, Rubber Man made a second appearance, and black dahlias festooned every table.

— Lauren Sanchez, Vogue, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of crept

Verb

In the midst of the rush to finish my syllabi and opening week assignments, as my husband shuffled the kids into their sneakers and Crocs and the car for one last back-to-school outing, everything stopped.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026
There was the sound of the occasional slipper scraping across the carpet as players and coaches shuffled from the showers.

— Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of shuffled

Verb

Bellingham poked in Gordon's cross midway through the first half.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
George Lombard singled in a run, Jazz Chisholm poked one through the right side, Trent Grisham got a bunt down for a hit, knocking Crochet out of the game without getting an out.

— Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of poked

Browse Nearby Words

inch by inch

inched

inches

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“Inched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inched. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of inched

verb

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