as in gradual
proceeding or changing by steps or degrees
a piecemeal attempt to remedy the traffic congestion
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1
as in gradually
by small steps or amounts
remodeled their house piecemeal because of budgetary constraints
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Recent Examples of piecemeal
Karam Shaar, Foreign Affairs, 20 Dec. 2024
Trial and Error Sea Level offers a fascinating account of how science is often a piecemeal undertaking of trial and error.
—Bruce Dorminey, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025
Richard Sutcliffe, The Athletic, 20 Aug. 2024
Instead of piecemeal infill developments and replacement of mini-malls and other relatively small buildings with huge high-rises containing hundreds of apartments and a few stores, this plan could have seen an entire new city plopped down on open space and farmland.
—Thomas Elias, The Mercury News, 25 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for piecemeal 
Adjective
The Syrian people face monumental challenges, and after more than a decade of conflict and devastation, piecemeal solutions will not suffice.
—Karam Shaar, Foreign Affairs, 20 Dec. 2024
Trial and Error Sea Level offers a fascinating account of how science is often a piecemeal undertaking of trial and error.
—Bruce Dorminey, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025
Adverb
Once completed, the ground — and Hayes Lane is very much a ground in that it has been developed piecemeal over the years, as opposed to a bowl-like new stadium — will hold around 5,000 people.
—Richard Sutcliffe, The Athletic, 20 Aug. 2024
Instead of piecemeal infill developments and replacement of mini-malls and other relatively small buildings with huge high-rises containing hundreds of apartments and a few stores, this plan could have seen an entire new city plopped down on open space and farmland.
—Thomas Elias, The Mercury News, 25 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for piecemeal
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Cite this Entry
“Piecemeal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piecemeal. Accessed 10 Feb. 2025.
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