Synonyms of little by little

little by little

adverb

as in gradually

by small steps or amounts

little by little, we pieced together the jigsaw puzzle

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of little by little

And each time another first-time climber reaches the top, the applause rising from the rocks below suggests that, little by little, that community is growing. — Illia Novikov, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026

Work on it all summer, adding to it little by little. — Parents, 11 June 2026

Practice is super important to build the pace little by little. — Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 4 June 2026

Higher education officials have watched their pool of typical applicants dwindle little by little. — Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 31 May 2026