: 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
Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Nov. 2025
However, overall stats for veterans and disabled individuals continue to be piecemeal, tracking with their invisibility both in conversations surrounding equity and basic accessibility.
—Mennlay Golokeh Aggrey, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 Nov. 2025
Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 25 Nov. 2025
Android 16 has a handful of useful new features, but a piecemeal rollout means that Google's more intriguing updates won't arrive until a later time.
—PC Magazine, 21 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for piecemeal
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Adverb
In the United States, regulation has emerged piecemeal at the state level, creating a legal patchwork that varies dramatically depending on jurisdiction.
—Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Nov. 2025
However, overall stats for veterans and disabled individuals continue to be piecemeal, tracking with their invisibility both in conversations surrounding equity and basic accessibility.
—Mennlay Golokeh Aggrey, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
The top election officials in Kansas and Missouri have agreed to share voter registration details with each other, a piecemeal approach designed to protect elections that’s raised eyebrows from voting rights advocates.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 25 Nov. 2025
Android 16 has a handful of useful new features, but a piecemeal rollout means that Google's more intriguing updates won't arrive until a later time.
—PC Magazine, 21 Nov. 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 1 Dec. 2025.
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