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Definitions

piece by piece

ADJECTIVE
each
Synonyms
WEAK
all any exclusive individual one by one particular personal respective separate several single specific various without exception
Antonyms
WEAK
none
ADVERB
by degrees
Synonyms
WEAK
a little at a time bit by bit continuously drop by drop gradually in small doses inch by inch little by little steadily
ADVERB
gradually
Synonyms
STRONGEST
constantly continuously deliberately gently increasingly moderately progressively regularly steadily
WEAK
bit by bit by degrees by installments imperceptibly in small doses inch by inch little by little perceptibly piecemeal sequentially serially step by step successively unhurriedly
Antonyms
WEAK
abruptly fastly intermittently suddenly
ADVERB
partially
Synonyms
STRONGEST
moderately partly somewhat
WEAK
by degrees by installments fractionally halfway in part in some measure little by little not wholly piecemeal to a certain degree to a certain extent
Antonyms
WEAK
completely totally wholly
ADVERB
partly
Synonyms
STRONGEST
at least partially slightly somewhat
WEAK
at best at most at worst bit by bit by degrees carelessly halfway in a general way in bits and pieces in part in some measure in some ways inadequately incompletely insufficiently little by little measurably not entirely not fully not strictly speaking not wholly notably noticeably piecemeal relatively so far as possible to a certain degree to a certain extent up to a certain point within limits
Antonyms
WEAK
completely totally wholly

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

For now, he continues to build — piece by piece, event by event, painting by painting.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

This guy took the car apart, piece by piece, screw by screw.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 7, 2025

Then, in this opinion, she sorted through the testimony and the exhibits and all of the evidence piece by piece to see what was credible and what wasn’t.

From Slate • Nov. 15, 2025

Instead of exploding, it strayed too close to an immense black hole, which tore it apart and consumed it piece by piece.

From Science Daily • Nov. 7, 2025

I’ve surmised this scene, assembled it piece by piece over many years from the things I read, when it all began to come out.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver