incline 1 of 2

as in slope
the degree to which something rises up from a position level with the horizon the steep incline of the hill meant that it was impossible to ride a bicycle up it

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incline

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to slope
to set or cause to be at an angle carefully inclined the ladder against the house

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2
as in to tend
to show a liking or proneness (for something) a good restaurant for diners who incline to spicy food

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word incline different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of incline are bias, dispose, and predispose. While all these words mean "to influence one to have or take an attitude toward something," incline implies a tendency to favor one of two or more actions or conclusions.

I incline to agree

In what contexts can bias take the place of incline?

In some situations, the words bias and incline are roughly equivalent. However, bias suggests a settled and predictable leaning in one direction and connotes unfair prejudice.

the experience biased him against foreigners

When could dispose be used to replace incline?

The words dispose and incline can be used in similar contexts, but dispose suggests an affecting of one's mood or temper so as to incline one toward something.

her nature disposes her to trust others

When would predispose be a good substitute for incline?

The words predispose and incline are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, predispose implies the operation of a disposing influence well in advance of the opportunity to manifest itself.

does fictional violence predispose them to accept real violence?

Examples of incline in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
According to Thomson, a 12% incline is a good benchmark that runners should look for in a treadmill. Leigh Weingus, SELF, 10 Sep. 2024 Riders took a 50-foot drop into a loop, went up a 50-foot incline, came to a dead stop, then returned on the track backward. Jeff Suess, The Enquirer, 16 Aug. 2024
Verb
Since then several states, individual colleges and university systems have followed suit as institutions search for ways to boost enrollments and reach students who might otherwise not be inclined to consider college. Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2024 Is this something that somebody’s going to be inclined to do? Todd Spangler, Variety, 27 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for incline 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'incline.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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Cite this Entry

“Incline.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incline. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

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