Synonyms of bit by bit

bit by bit

phrase

as in gradually

by small steps or amounts

The puzzle came together bit by bit over the course of a week.

Synonyms & Similar Words

• gradually
• little by little
• piece by piece
• slowly
• gradationally
• piecemeal
• inchmeal
• inch by inch
• progressively
• increasingly
• by degrees
• hierarchically
• crescively
• imperceptibly
• fractionally

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• suddenly
• abruptly
• sharply
• hastily
• acutely
• steeply
• precipitously

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of bit by bit

Kikuko, her appetite sluggish, nibbled the bread bit by bit from the edges, all the while furtively watching her father. — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026

Bombshells are exposed bit by bit, and the pacing keeps viewers holding their breath for most of the show. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 23 July 2026

Your body shuts down bit by bit starting with the autonomic nervous system and brain. — Sarah Chihaya, Vulture, 16 July 2026

The implosion of Platner’s candidacy—first bit by bit and then all at once—has Democrats nationwide throwing up their hands in exasperation. — Elaine Godfrey, The Atlantic, 9 July 2026