incremental

adjective

in·​cre·​men·​tal ˌiŋ-krə-ˈmen-tᵊl How to pronounce incremental (audio)
ˌin-
: of, relating to, being, or occurring in especially small increments
incremental additions
incremental change
incrementally adverb

Examples of incremental in a Sentence

the incremental evolution of the collection from a specialized gallery into a comprehensive art museum the incremental total for my collection of baseball cards
Recent Examples on the Web But most of those adaptation efforts are small-scale, incremental activities, the report warns. Chelsea Harvey, Scientific American, 14 Nov. 2023 Some of the ongoing, incremental improvements are more hidden from public view — most notably a second taxiway for San Diego’s one-runway airport. Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Nov. 2023 The company is slated to launch the new flagship X9 seven-seater multi-purpose vehicle that features a futuristic design and this new vehicle could drive incremental volumes and help average pricing. Trefis Team, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023 In the absence of Russian gas, European countries have filled up their gas storages almost completely, and wouldn’t be able to absorb much incremental cargo. WSJ, 10 Nov. 2023 Humane’s ambition to disrupt the smartphone is audacious, creative and even irrational; the kind of thing Silicon Valley is supposed to be known for, but, which critics bemoan, in recent years has turned into incremental frivolities, like selfie apps and robot pizza trucks. Photographs and Videos By Kelsey McClellan, New York Times, 7 Nov. 2023 Kiarostami’s filming has a documentary-like attentiveness—to landscapes and faces, to situations and ideas—that matches the drama’s incremental, investigative, observational poise. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2023 Monumental wants to do incremental construction over four consecutive summers, starting in 2024, to avoid disrupting the playing seasons of the Capitals or Wizards, this person said. Sam Fortier, Washington Post, 3 Nov. 2023 Efforts at cooperation make a difference – even if incremental. Ann Scott Tyson, The Christian Science Monitor, 2 Nov. 2023 See More

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

Word History

First Known Use

1696, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of incremental was in 1696

Dictionary Entries Near incremental

Cite this Entry

“Incremental.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incremental. Accessed 30 Nov. 2023.

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