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

Because fiber build-out to very remote homes is still ongoing, installation timelines may be longer and incremental, and some addresses may still be waiting for full build-out. —Roxanne Downer, USA Today, 27 Oct. 2025

Head coach Joe Mazzula, who’s leading a roster that features three new starters and an overhauled bench, saw incremental improvement from his team. —Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 25 Oct. 2025

Dozens of city meetings hashed out annexations, zoning, a development agreement and $458 million in tax incremental financing with a separate operator company. —Claudia Levens, jsonline.com, 22 Oct. 2025

By steadily aligning with market shifts and making incremental improvements, teams maintain constant momentum and can adjust to insights and advances in real time. —Dave Smith, Fortune, 21 Oct. 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