Definition

To lean or bend in a particular direction, or to have a tendency towards a certain opinion or action.

Example

She tends to incline towards more creative solutions when solving problems.

Tense Forms

Conversation

I noticed that when you talk about your favorite movies, you really incline towards the action genre.

Yeah, I just love the excitement and the adrenaline rush!

I get that; I tend to incline towards comedies myself.

Comedies are great too! They always lift my mood.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Definition

A surface that is slanted or at an angle, often used to describe a slope or gradient.

Example

The hill has a steep incline that makes it difficult to climb.

Conversation

Did you see that hill we hiked last weekend?

Yeah, it was quite a steep incline!

I almost slipped on the way down.

Definition

To cause something to lean or slope in a particular direction, or to influence someone to have a certain tendency or preference.

Example

The teacher inclined the board so that all the students could see it clearly.

Tense Forms

Conversation

Have you ever noticed how the hills incline at such a steep angle?

Yeah, it makes biking up them quite a workout!

I wonder if that incline affects how quickly we get tired.

Root Explanation

Incline → It is formed from "in-" (meaning towards) and "clinare" (meaning to lean or bend). The word "incline" means to lean or bend towards something.

Memory Tip

Think of leaning "towards" ('in-') something as you "bend" ('clinare') — that's why incline means to lean towards.

Visually Confused Words