piecemeal 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of piecemealnext
as in gradual
proceeding or changing by steps or degrees a piecemeal attempt to remedy the traffic congestion

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

piecemeal

2 of 2

adverb

ˈpēs-ˌmēl How to pronounce piecemeal (audio)
1
as in gradually
by small steps or amounts remodeled their house piecemeal because of budgetary constraints

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in apart
into parts or pieces one well-aimed blow ripped the piñata piecemeal

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 piecemeal
Adjective
Still, the country’s top-down regulatory system allows Beijing to more quickly step in if security and privacy issues get out of hand, a contrast from the US’ often slow-moving and piecemeal approach. — J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 9 Sep. 2026 For all the damage that Kennedy has inflicted, his actions on vaccines have largely been piecemeal and procedural. — Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2026
Adverb
These circumstances pose a legal challenge for Pirro because the Supreme Court generally disfavors piecemeal appeals. — Matt Peterson, CNBC, 8 Apr. 2026 All of these current approaches to self-improving AI are not recursive but piecemeal. — Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 3 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for piecemeal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for piecemeal
  1. gradual
  2. gradually
  3. apart
Adjective
  • The coldest temperatures are still ahead Sunday morning, before a gradual warming trend gets underway.
    — Newsroom Meteorologist, Houston Chronicle, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Another highlight was Oude Waag, where Yin Jingwei continued to fuel his work with the emotional journey through personal difficulty and the gradual acceptance of circumstances.
    — Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of gradual
Adverb
  • Once synonymous with industry—Renault operated its enormous factory here for much of the 20th century—the island has been gradually reinventing itself as a cultural district.
    — Alessia Armenise, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Oct. 2026
  • China has opened much of its financial sector to foreign firms since 2018, gradually lifting foreign ownership caps on services such as securities, futures and fund management.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of gradually
Adverb
  • Breaking these bonds apart simply reverses the process by breaking apart the peptide bond and a water molecule, and linking their parts.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 14 Oct. 2026
  • What sets SpaceX apart is its ability to launch and maintain its own satellite network using reusable rockets, an advantage that's costly and difficult for competitors to replicate.
    — Kevin Simpson, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of apart

Browse Nearby Words

pieced (together)
piecemeal
piece of cake
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Piecemeal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piecemeal. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of jilt

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All