# salami slicing

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/salami-slicing
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

The achievement of a large change by incrementally asking for small concessions.

## Examples

- He uses salami slicing to get what he wants.
- She practices salami slicing by asking for small favors every single day.
- They win every argument through salami slicing instead of asking for everything at once.
- The manager used salami slicing to slowly change the team's schedule without causing a major protest.
- The government is using salami slicing to reduce public services by cutting the budget by just one percent every few months.
- The developer relied on salami slicing to remove trees from the park until the entire green space was finally gone.
- By employing a strategy of salami slicing, the committee gradually implemented the controversial policy through a series of minor, seemingly harmless amendments.

## Origin

Derived from the practice of a delicatessen cutting salami into exceptionally thin pieces to fill a sandwich at the lowest possible cost. The term describes the process of achieving a significant result through a series of small, incremental steps, mirroring the gradual reduction of the sausage until the whole is gone.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.