: done, made, or accomplished piece by piece or in a fragmentary way
piecemeal reforms in the system
Examples of piecemeal in a Sentence
Adverb
remodeled their house piecemeal because of budgetary constraints
one well-aimed blow ripped the piñata piecemeal
Adjective
They've done piecemeal repairs in the past, but the bridge now needs major reconstruction.
Some people want the changes to be made all at once, but I think we should take a more piecemeal approach.
Recent Examples on the Web
Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 16 May 2025
Larger specimens must be served piecemeal, like the carcass of a feisty Cuban crocodile known as Fidel, obtained from the Bronx Zoo in 2005.
—Corey Kilgannon, New York Times, 13 May 2025
Zach Wichter, USA Today, 23 May 2025
But piecemeal state legislation leaves many workers unprotected.
—The Editors, Scientific American, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for piecemeal
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Adverb
The six-month contract role is a response to complaints from restaurant owners and chefs, many of whom have derided the city’s system of inspections and applications as lengthy and piecemeal.
—Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 16 May 2025
Larger specimens must be served piecemeal, like the carcass of a feisty Cuban crocodile known as Fidel, obtained from the Bronx Zoo in 2005.
—Corey Kilgannon, New York Times, 13 May 2025
Adjective
Successive administrations from both parties in Washington have promised fixes to the FAA's air traffic control program, but the solutions have been piecemeal so far.
—Zach Wichter, USA Today, 23 May 2025
But piecemeal state legislation leaves many workers unprotected.
—The Editors, Scientific American, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for piecemeal
Cite this Entry
“Piecemeal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/piecemeal. Accessed 28 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share