incremental

adjective

in·​cre·​men·​tal ˌiŋ-krə-ˈmen-tᵊl 

ˌin-

: of, relating to, being, or occurring in especially small increments

incremental additions

incremental change

incrementally

ˌiŋ-krə-ˈmen-tᵊl-ē 

ˌin-

adverb

Synonyms of incremental

• gradual

Examples of incremental in a Sentence

the incremental evolution of the collection from a specialized gallery into a comprehensive art museum

the incremental total for my collection of baseball cards

Recent Examples on the Web

The company’s early history, written by the visionary Steve Jobs, has entered a new world, one where iPhones are making incremental advances while the technology surrounding it is in the midst of generational change. —Jennifer Elias, CNBC, 1 Apr. 2026

Apple’s latest iPhone software update is drawing attention—some of which is negative—not just for its incremental upgrades, but also for a shift in how users interact with one of its core apps. —Thomas Westerholm, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026

Whereas Wi-Fi 6 offered merely incremental speed increases over Wi-Fi 5, Wi-Fi 7 is mostly about lightning-fast connections. —Iyaz Akhtar, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2026

If safety first still matters, the state should not delay an incremental advance that will safeguard pedestrians, bicyclists and other motorists. —John Seng, Baltimore Sun, 30 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1696, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing incremental

• incremental repetition

Rhymes for incremental

• accidental
• compartmental
• continental
• detrimental
• elemental
• fundamental
• governmental
• incidental
• instrumental
• interdental
• monumental
• nonjudgmental