: 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
Renuka Rayasam, NPR, 27 June 2025
Basic components like batteries and screens can be replaced piecemeal, but eventually, something will burn out, crack, or just quit, proving much harder to replace.
—Brian Westover, PC Magazine, 10 June 2025
Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 28 May 2025
Two paths Diagnosing the slide’s safety came within the framework of a larger discussion – should the city continue to make smaller, piecemeal repairs, while the overall site still needs larger renovations?
—Elliot Mann, Twin Cities, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for piecemeal
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adverb
That led policymakers to add programs piecemeal to make health insurance accessible to more Americans.
—Renuka Rayasam, NPR, 27 June 2025
Basic components like batteries and screens can be replaced piecemeal, but eventually, something will burn out, crack, or just quit, proving much harder to replace.
—Brian Westover, PC Magazine, 10 June 2025
Adjective
The carrot-not-stick Inflation Reduction Act passed by Congress and signed by Biden in 2022, now under piecemeal attack by the Trump administration, is our best attempt thus far.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 28 May 2025
Two paths Diagnosing the slide’s safety came within the framework of a larger discussion – should the city continue to make smaller, piecemeal repairs, while the overall site still needs larger renovations?
—Elliot Mann, Twin Cities, 28 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 5 Jul. 2025.
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