incremental
/ˌɪŋkrəˈmentl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌɪŋkrəˈmentl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌiŋ-krə-ˈmen-tᵊl ˌin-/ (ame, mw)
incremental — adjective
- incrementalpositive
- more incrementalcomparative
- most incrementalsuperlative
1. happening or developing in small, regular stages over a period of time, rather t
happening or developing in small, regular stages over a period of time, rather than in a single sudden change.
The hospital introduced new safety procedures through incremental changes over several months.
Guo made incremental progress in his Mandarin studies, learning ten new characters each week.
collocation: incremental progress
The company's incremental approach to expanding overseas meant adding just one new market per year.
Rather than a complete redesign, the travel app received incremental updates every two weeks.
Ana noticed incremental improvements in her sleep after cutting out caffeine in the evenings.
- gradual
focuses on slowness over time; 'incremental' emphasises the regular, stage-by-stage nature
- step-by-step
more informal and concrete; common in instructions and guides
- phased
suggests a planned sequence of distinct phases, often in projects
文法句型
incremental + noun
用法筆記
Often used to describe a method or strategy that unfolds in stages — common in business, technology, education, and project-management contexts. The focus is on the process of change, not the size of each step.
常見錯誤
2. very small in size, amount, or degree, especially when the individual piece is c
very small in size, amount, or degree, especially when the individual piece is considered on its own as part of a larger whole.
The new training programme produced only incremental gains in worker productivity.
collocation: incremental gains
Each incremental increase of one degree in temperature caused the ice to melt a little faster.
collocation: incremental increase in [sth]
Pablo argued that the budget offered only incremental cuts that would not solve the deficit.
The difference in sound quality between the two headphones was incremental at best.
The doctor warned that the treatment would give only incremental relief from the joint pain.
- slight
more general and common in everyday speech; 'incremental' carries a stronger business/economics flavour
- marginal
very close in meaning, especially in economics; 'marginal cost' and 'incremental cost' are near-synonyms
- minor
broader — 'minor' can describe any small thing, not necessarily part of a series
- substantial
describes a large amount or degree, the opposite of small in magnitude
- significant
describes something that matters or is big enough to notice
文法句型
incremental + noun
用法筆記
Frequently appears before nouns that represent quantities, differences, or effects (cost, gain, increase, benefit, improvement, relief). In business and economics this sense overlaps with 'marginal'.