inch
noun
a unit of length, 1/12 (0.0833) foot, equivalent to 2.54 centimeters. in.
had been inching
-
past perfect progressiveof inch.past perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Four years in a row his son had been inching closer and closer to Canton but in the selection process ahead of four Super Bowls, the fateful Hall of Fame knock never came.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2022
Starbucks was one of the first companies to prompt customers to order from their phones, back in 2015; its mobile order rate had been inching up just 1 percentage point each quarter.
From Slate ● Oct. 4, 2021
Now, a decade later, we had been inching closer together again, but she said, "you unsubscribed from me first."
From Salon ● Feb. 13, 2021
The Musketeers had been inching closer behind the strong interior play of Marshall, who netted 10 of 12 Xavier points during one second-half stretch.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 30, 2019
She gave a sharp slap to a spiky, dark red plant as she spoke, making it draw in the long feelers that had been inching sneakily over her shoulder.
From "Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets" by J. K. Rowling
