: done, made, or accomplished piece by piece or in a fragmentary way
piecemeal reforms in the system
Examples of piecemeal in a Sentence
Adverb
remodeled their house piecemeal because of budgetary constraints
one well-aimed blow ripped the piñata piecemeal
Adjective
They've done piecemeal repairs in the past, but the bridge now needs major reconstruction.
Some people want the changes to be made all at once, but I think we should take a more piecemeal approach.
Recent Examples on the Web
CBS News, 19 Feb. 2025
These regulations have been lifted piecemeal over the years.
—Moises Velasquez-Manoff Robert Petkoff Emma Kehlbeck Zak Mouton, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2025
New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 27 Feb. 2025
The administration's piecemeal approach may in particular be damaging, Fed officials say, as businesses and consumers adjust to an outlook that seems both unpredictable and primed for higher prices.
—Howard Schneider, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for piecemeal
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Adverb
Apple began hyping its foray into AI since last June, and has rolled out new features piecemeal.
—CBS News, 19 Feb. 2025
These regulations have been lifted piecemeal over the years.
—Moises Velasquez-Manoff Robert Petkoff Emma Kehlbeck Zak Mouton, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2025
Adjective
Instead of a wholesale repair of the leaky structure, the White House is rolling out ineffective piecemeal measures that won’t achieve anything.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 27 Feb. 2025
The administration's piecemeal approach may in particular be damaging, Fed officials say, as businesses and consumers adjust to an outlook that seems both unpredictable and primed for higher prices.
—Howard Schneider, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for piecemeal
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Cite this Entry
“Piecemeal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/piecemeal. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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