incremental

adjective

in·​cre·​men·​tal ˌiŋ-krə-ˈmen-tᵊl 

ˌin-

: of, relating to, being, or occurring in especially small increments

incremental additions

incremental change

incrementally

ˌiŋ-krə-ˈmen-tᵊl-ē 

ˌin-

adverb

Synonyms

• gradual

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

So, even small incremental improvements in employee retention can have a dramatic impact. —Brent Gleeson, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025

After years of progress (however incremental), 2025 is the year many companies quietly reversed course. —Katica Roy, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2025

But Ukrainian officials on Tuesday warned that their grip on the front lines was loosening, after months of incremental Russian gains, driven by Moscow’s superior manpower. —Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2025

His approach has helped teams move beyond incremental improvements, delivering transformative solutions that support forecasting efforts, contribute to smoother product launches, and help improve visibility into financial processes. —Nia Bowers, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1696, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing incremental

• incremental repetition

Rhymes for incremental

• accidental
• compartmental
• continental
• detrimental
• elemental
• fundamental
• governmental
• incidental
• instrumental
• interdental
• monumental
• nonjudgmental