as in gradual
proceeding or changing by steps or degrees
a piecemeal attempt to remedy the traffic congestion
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in gradually
by small steps or amounts
remodeled their house piecemeal because of budgetary constraints
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of piecemeal
Sreedhar Potarazu, Baltimore Sun, 30 Mar. 2026
Over the past year, countries rushed to secure piecemeal deals; some allowed panic to overtake them; very few coordinated their actions or retaliations.
—Mihir Sharma, Twin Cities, 26 Mar. 2026
Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 7 Jan. 2026
Personal details emerge piecemeal, in no particular order, always in connection with the music with which they are entangled.
—Literary Hub, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for piecemeal
Adjective
This is not an issue of individual resilience but of a piecemeal approach to reform that has left doctors isolated.
—Sreedhar Potarazu, Baltimore Sun, 30 Mar. 2026
Over the past year, countries rushed to secure piecemeal deals; some allowed panic to overtake them; very few coordinated their actions or retaliations.
—Mihir Sharma, Twin Cities, 26 Mar. 2026
Adverb
Whatever extra cash drivers throw into the congestion pricing till — in fact, all toll revenue — must go through a new state financial counting house and be given back piecemeal to the MTA when expenses are fully reviewed for reasonable cost.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 7 Jan. 2026
Personal details emerge piecemeal, in no particular order, always in connection with the music with which they are entangled.
—Literary Hub, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for piecemeal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for piecemeal
Adjective
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The flat logistic curve that makes the rising tide gradual also means the final climb toward 99%-plus reliability is a long one, a meaningful buffer for error-intolerant professions in law, medicine, and engineering.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
5 Apr. 2026
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Overall, Sosnowski predicts that a gradual warmup is forecast in most cases after a cool start to the week.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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The two neighbors have been working gradually to improve ties since last year.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
7 Apr. 2026
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Lykke Leonardsen, who runs Copenhagen’s Resilient and Sustainable City Solutions program and serves as the city’s informal water ambassador, told me that the intent was to hold hearings, win approval in August, and invest gradually.—
Eric Klinenberg,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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But without him, the Mets fell apart.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
10 Apr. 2026
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Even with assurances that the home’s drinking water isn’t affected and that the cleanup costs won’t fall on a future owner, deals keep falling apart.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Piecemeal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piecemeal. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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