inch
1 Americannoun
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a unit of length, 1/12 (0.0833) foot, equivalent to 2.54 centimeters. in.
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a very small amount of anything; narrow margin.
to win by an inch;
to avert disaster by an inch.
verb (used with or without object)
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inches,
present (3rd person singular)
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inched,
past participle, past
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inching
present participle
idioms
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every inch, in every respect; completely.
That horse is every inch a thoroughbred.
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within an inch of, nearly; close to.
He came within an inch of getting killed in the crash.
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by inches,
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narrowly; by a narrow margin.
escaped by inches.
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Also inch by inch. by small degrees or stages; gradually.
The miners worked their way through the narrow shaft inch by inch.
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noun
noun
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a unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot or 0.0254 metre
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meteorol
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an amount of precipitation that would cover a surface with water one inch deep
five inches of rain fell in January
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a unit of pressure equal to a mercury column one inch high in a barometer
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-
a very small distance, degree, or amount
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in every way; completely
he was every inch an aristocrat
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gradually; little by little
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very close to
verb
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to move or be moved very slowly or in very small steps
the car inched forward
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to defeat (someone) by a very small margin
noun
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A unit of length in the US Customary System equal to 1/12 of a foot (2.54 centimeters).
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See Table at measurement
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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inchsimple
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inchessimple
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have inchedperfect
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has inchedperfect
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am inchingprogressive
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are inchingprogressive
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is inchingprogressive
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have been inchingperfect progressive
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has been inchingperfect progressive
Past
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inchedsimple
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had inchedperfect
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was inchingprogressive
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were inchingprogressive
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had been inchingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of inch1
First recorded before 1000; Middle English inch(e), unch(e), enche, Old English ynce, from Latin uncia “twelfth part, inch, ounce”; see origin at ounce 1
Origin of inch2
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Scots Gaelic innse, genitive of innis “island,” Old Irish inis, cognate with Welsh ynys, Breton enez
Explanation
An inch is a small unit of measurement. Twelve inches makes one foot. You might get an inch of your hair cut off, or hem your jeans so they're an inch shorter. Some countries use centimeters and meters as units of measurement, but if you measure in inches, you can order a twelve inch pizza or print out three by five inch photos. When inch is used as a verb, it means "to creep slowly forward." The Old English version was ynce, from the Latin uncia, "a twelfth part."
Vocabulary lists containing inch
Measurement and Data, List 2
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Measurement and Data
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STAAR Grade 5 Mathematics: Measurement
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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.
See Examples For:
Its contemporary design is defined by glass walls boasting breathtaking views of Camelback Mountain, as the surrounding landscape creates a serene environment in every inch of the home.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 2, 2026
America needs to inch toward rough political health.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
From Ossoff, he learned how to braid in being an intellectual and polished orator, how debate-club tactics can work as long as you eschew the tie and show an inch of clavicle.
From Slate ● Oct. 27, 2026
Since the songs release, Star has said she would like to "roam every inch of Wales" and perhaps visit the Eisteddfod one day, as she enjoys learning more about Wales and the Welsh language.
From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026
Her walker sank an inch into the sandy lakeshore each time she leaned on it and she had to yank upward to lift it enough to move it forward again.
From "Earthquake Terror" by Peg Kehret
Brown said he was "inches from losing my life" after a fall from his horse in a 2023 race sent him to hospital and kept him out of racing for six months.
From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026
It’s not only a game of inches, but often a game of feet.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2026
They had pulled a truck around in front of the entrance, leaving just a few inches for the employees to slip in and out of the garage, invisible from the street.
From Slate ● Oct. 26, 2026
These visions are known as Lilliputian hallucinations, named after the miniature inhabitants of "Gulliver's Travels," who stand just 6 inches tall.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 25, 2026
Ma was still sore about the couple of inches Klenam had shaved from one side of her head.
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
Nasdaq futures inched up 0.1% after the index flipped sharp intraday losses Thursday to end the session higher.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.1%, or 556 points, while the S&P 500 gained 0.3% and the Nasdaq composite inched 0.1% higher.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
Average loans and leases jumped 13.5% to $278.6 billion in the global wealth and investment management business, while in the consumer banking arm, average loans and leases inched up 0.2% to $321 billion.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026
The Broncos tied the score after making the defensive stop, then inched away with two drives that ended with field goals.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 11, 2026
He motioned me forward, and I reluctantly inched closer and looked over the side of the giant crow.
From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia
Williams and Eleanor—who would define comic relief if Helen and Sam didn’t crack us up with regularity—start inching toward each other in a romantic way, the awkwardness genuine, and touching.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026
Case in point: Micron’s stock was choppy in early Wednesday trade, rising as much as 3.6% before briefly turning negative and then inching back into the black.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 21, 2026
Camarillo hit 99, inching past the previous record of 98 set in 1953.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
AMD was inching higher after announcing an $8.2 billion deal to buy World Labs, with other chip stocks gaining.
From Barron's ● Sep. 29, 2026
I fumble slightly, inching my way back inside with less stealth than before.
From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
