inch
noun
a unit of length, 1/12 (0.0833) foot, equivalent to 2.54 centimeters. in.
was inching
-
past progressiveof inch.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
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
The big change this year is that, previously, Russia was inching forward along almost the entire more than 700-mile front line, or at least in several sectors at once.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 11, 2026
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said the deal over trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland was "inching towards a conclusion".
From BBC ● Feb. 25, 2023
He came to Austria with back-to-back podiums and confidence that he was inching closer to a first victory this year.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 9, 2022
Early in 2007, as the case against Reggie was inching along, Terryl’s oldest daughter Jayme, a sixth grader, had become interested in Mary Surratt.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
