as in gradually
by small steps or amounts
little by little, we pieced together the jigsaw puzzle
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Recent Examples of little by little
Go Slow Adding compost or any other soil amendments should be done little by little to avoid overwhelming your garden or your plants.
—
Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 15 May 2026
This was building little by little, the performances were getting better and better.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 May 2026
The point of racially conscious practices of any kind shouldn’t be to hit particular numerical targets, but to improve, little by little, the institutions in a wealthy and powerful democracy that has not yet escaped the present effects of a deeply racist past.
—Stephen L. Carter, Twin Cities, 8 May 2026
Consequently, in the 1980s, the ideas and ideals embodied in the New World Information and Communication Order debates and the MacBride Report were little by little stowed away as free market and globalization became the key words in a new digital communication era.
—Stijn Joye, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for little by little
Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 15 May 2026
This was building little by little, the performances were getting better and better.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 May 2026
The point of racially conscious practices of any kind shouldn’t be to hit particular numerical targets, but to improve, little by little, the institutions in a wealthy and powerful democracy that has not yet escaped the present effects of a deeply racist past.
—Stephen L. Carter, Twin Cities, 8 May 2026
Consequently, in the 1980s, the ideas and ideals embodied in the New World Information and Communication Order debates and the MacBride Report were little by little stowed away as free market and globalization became the key words in a new digital communication era.
—Stijn Joye, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for little by little
Recent Examples of Synonyms for little by little
gradually
Adverb
-
While temperatures will gradually decline later in the week, Fresno’s highest temperatures are expected to remain above 90 degrees through Friday before more seasonable conditions arrive over the weekend.—
Angela Rodriguez,
Sacbee.com,
15 June 2026
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There are hidden pathways, jungle gyms, koi ponds and lounging spaces that reveal themselves gradually over the course of your stay.—
Arion McNicoll,
TheWeek,
15 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Little by little.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/little%20by%20little. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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