# incremental

/ˌɪnkɹəˈmɛntəɫ/ (US) · /ˌɪnkɹɪmˈɛntəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/incremental
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. step-by-step

adjective · CEFR B2 · Academic

happening in small stages or amounts over a period of time.

For teachers: occurring in a series of small, gradual steps or additions, often leading to a cumulative effect.

- The company made incremental changes to the software instead of releasing a completely new version.
- The research team observed incremental improvements in the patients' mobility over the six-month trial, suggesting the treatment was effective but slow-acting.

Usage: Usually placed before the noun it modifies.

Teaching tip: This word is very common in business and science to describe progress that is steady but not dramatic.

## Examples

- The company makes incremental improvements to the software every month.
- Instead of a total redesign, the team decided on an incremental approach to update the website over several months.
- The scientist argued that the breakthrough was not a sudden discovery but the result of incremental advancements made by researchers over several decades.

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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.