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

• gradational
• gradual
• phased
• piecemeal
• step-by-step

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

Over his 20+ year career with SAP, Werner has held a variety of incremental roles supporting Asia Pacific and Europe go-to-market strategies in addition to field enablement for wholesale distribution and retail. —Werner Baumbach, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025

In general, exercising three days per week is enough, though additional time or days spent exercising can have incremental effects on longevity, muscle building, and weight loss. —Amy Kwan, Verywell Health, 16 Apr. 2025

Analysts are worried that there are few incremental buyers for the hospital and health insurance stocks until policy uncertainty is resolved. —Jim Cramer, CNBC, 15 Apr. 2025

Their achievement builds on decades of incremental progress. —Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 14 Apr. 2025

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