Definitions

piece by piece

Part of Speech:

All (5) Adjective (1) Adverb (4)

Jump To:

each adj.
by degrees adv.
gradually adv.
partially adv.
partly adv.

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.

See Examples For:

piece by piece

Let’s go through your friend’s estate piece by piece: her $20,000 credit-card debt, her life insurance, her Medicaid benefits and her home.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026

When Alejandro Castillo, 9, got stuck on a sentence containing “Transcontinental Railroad,” she helped him sound it out piece by piece.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026

In a matter of minutes it dug away what it had taken humans hours to remove, piece by piece.

From Barron's ● Jun. 28, 2026

In sum, it all sounds less like a good-faith effort to invigorate a vital newsmagazine for modern times—and more like an effort to have it fall apart, piece by piece.

From Slate ● Jun. 5, 2026

He peeled it and cut it up and gave it to her piece by piece.

From "The Magician's Nephew" by C. S. Lewis

piece by piece

Example Sentences

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