Definition of incrementalnext
1
as in gradual
proceeding or changing by steps or degrees the incremental evolution of the collection from a specialized gallery into a comprehensive art museum

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2
as in cumulative
produced by a series of additions of identical or similar things the incremental total for my collection of baseball cards

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of incremental Doing so Monday, after allowing a solo home run, is incremental progress. Chandler Rome, New York Times, 19 May 2026 There’s also an improved 3x zoom feature and incremental algorithm advancements that enable low-light filming while preserving crisp, detailed footage. New Atlas, 18 May 2026 Some draftees have an immediate impact—this year’s Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks, started two key players who were drafted last spring—but the process is mainly a means of incremental, long-term improvement. Dan Greene, New Yorker, 18 May 2026 The Rangers would incur a post-spinoff incremental tax of $19.8 million on $76 million in salaries. Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 18 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for incremental
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incremental
Adjective
  • Hardening off plants is the gradual process of acclimating them to outdoor conditions after growing them under lights in your home or in a greenhouse.
    Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2026
  • How deliberate was this gradual shift?
    Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 24 May 2026
Adjective
  • The programmer's rhythm is broken repeatedly, and the cumulative delay between intent and result is longer than anyone bothers to measure.
    Russ Bukowski, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
  • But residents worry this project and others of a similar size are being proposed for their community without proper analysis of fire hazards and potential cumulative impacts of such widespread industrialization.
    Hannah Elsmore, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Incremental.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incremental. Accessed 29 May. 2026.

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