piecemeal

1 of 2

adverb

piece·​meal ˈpēs-ˌmēl How to pronounce piecemeal (audio)
-ˈmēl
1
: one piece at a time : gradually
2
: in pieces or fragments : apart

piecemeal

2 of 2

adjective

: 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
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.
Adverb
Instead, the company is releasing features piecemeal, first in October and again in December. Emily Forlini, PC Magazine, 22 Apr. 2025 Enterprising indie producers generally are nimble, and many will buy piecemeal rather than buying in bulk, while others will race to acquire goods in the window before Trump changes course again. Brian Welk, IndieWire, 9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
The company tried to sell its entire business through a piecemeal strategy after regulatory challenges and internal issues blocked a previous sale attempt by putting Versace and Jimmy Choo on the market in late 2024. Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 18 Apr. 2025 He’s spent much of the last decade teasing us about the upcoming installments, throwing out piecemeal updates (with occasional breaks for a Titanic rerelease or to shade Alien: Covenant). Hunter Harris, Vulture, 4 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for piecemeal

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1593, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of piecemeal was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Piecemeal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/piecemeal. Accessed 2 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

piecemeal

1 of 2 adverb
piece·​meal ˈpē-ˌsmēl How to pronounce piecemeal (audio)
1
: one piece at a time : gradually
2
: in pieces : apart

piecemeal

2 of 2 adjective
: done, made, or accomplished piece by piece or in an incomplete way
piecemeal reforms

More from Merriam-Webster on piecemeal

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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