little by little

adverb

: by small degrees or amounts : gradually

Examples of little by little in a Sentence

little by little, we pieced together the jigsaw puzzle
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And all of that, little by little, starts building a new momentum. Elizabeth Stanton, Fox News, 10 Oct. 2024 During Trump’s first term, there was no visible breakthrough, but the level of U.S. support for Ukraine did grow little by little, mainly because over time there was a better understanding of the situation on the ground. Nataliya Gumenyuk, Foreign Affairs, 15 Nov. 2024 For this reason, the war veteran began to study and prepare to rise in rank and little by little managed to earn the respect and admiration of her colleagues. Nadia Cantú, The Arizona Republic, 11 Nov. 2024 How to prepare for the time change Some people try to prepare for a time change jolt by changing their bed times little by little in the days before the change. Associated Press, TIME, 27 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for little by little 

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of little by little was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near little by little

Cite this Entry

“Little by little.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/little%20by%20little. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

little by little

adverb
: by small steps or amounts : gradually
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!