incline

To tend to think or act in a certain way, or make someone more likely to do so.

• I incline to agree with you.
• She was inclined to trust his judgment.
• The latest figures incline us to expect further growth.

How to use it: incline to do something (I incline to agree with her assessment.); incline towards something (His political views incline towards caution.); incline someone to do something (The evidence inclines me to believe her.)

Similar words: tend, lean

Common phrases: incline to agree, incline towards something, incline someone to

To move your head, body, or another object so that it leans at an angle.

• She inclined her head politely.
• Incline the board slightly to let the water run off.
• He inclined his body towards her to hear better.

How to use it: incline something towards someone/something (She inclined her head towards the speaker.)

Similar words: tilt, bend

Common phrases: incline your head, incline something forward, incline something towards

To rise, fall, or lean at an angle instead of being flat or straight.

• The road inclines gently upward.
• The old walls had begun to incline.
• Beyond the gate, the ground inclined sharply towards the stream.

How to use it: incline towards something (The ground inclines towards the river.)

Similar words: slope, slant, lean

Common phrases: incline upward, incline gently, incline towards something

A surface or piece of ground that rises or falls at an angle.

• The path has a steep incline.
• We cycled up several long inclines.
• The truck struggled on the final incline before the village.

Similar words: slope, gradient

Common phrases: steep incline, gentle incline, up an incline

A sloping entrance where subway tracks pass from the surface into a tunnel.

• The tram entered the incline.
• Workers repaired the tracks at the subway incline.
• The old incline connected the street tracks with the underground tunnel.

Similar words: tunnel portal

Common phrases: subway incline, tunnel incline, incline entrance