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 of incremental

• 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

What Teachers Should Do Next These announcements contribute to the incremental progression of AI tools in education, which will likely continue. — Dan Fitzpatrick, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026

Competitive decline rarely happens from a dramatic collapse, but rather through incremental decisions that gradually make a system less attractive to exceptional people. — John A. Quelch, Fortune, 18 Aug. 2026

The company's iterative design process has led to the introduction of incremental improvements for each progressive Starship launch. — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Relentless, incremental improvement of existing agencies remains an important part of statecraft. — Jennifer Pahlka, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026

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