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Definitions

inch by inch

ADVERB
bit by bit
Synonyms
WEAK
by degrees drop by drop grade by grade gradually in stages inchmeal little by little piecemeal step by step
ADVERB
by degrees
Synonyms
WEAK
a little at a time bit by bit continuously drop by drop gradually in small doses little by little piece by piece steadily
ADVERB
gradually
Synonyms
STRONGEST
constantly continuously deliberately gently increasingly moderately progressively regularly steadily
WEAK
bit by bit by degrees by installments imperceptibly in small doses little by little perceptibly piece by piece piecemeal sequentially serially step by step successively unhurriedly
Antonyms
WEAK
abruptly fastly intermittently suddenly

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.

Inch-by-inch land fighting had brought MacArthur's men laboriously to Lae, to Finschhaven in New Guinea, to Munda and Vella Lavella in the Solomons.

From Time Magazine Archive