incrementalism

noun

in·​cre·​men·​tal·​ism ˌiŋ-krə-ˈmen-tə-ˌli-zəm How to pronounce incrementalism (audio)
: a policy or advocacy of a policy of political or social change by degrees : gradualism
incrementalist
ˌiŋ-krə-ˈmen-tə-list How to pronounce incrementalism (audio)
noun

Examples of incrementalism in a Sentence

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.
El-Sayed is promising wholesale change to politics, a progressive upheaval of traditionalist incrementalism, an outsiders’ indifference to tradition. — Philip Elliott, Time, 3 Aug. 2026 But incrementalism is a strategy for when the field is still deciding what to build next, and that is no longer the situation. — Florencia Canelli, Scientific American, 1 July 2026 For incumbent leaders, this is a moment to rebuild the enterprise from the assumption that intelligence, not incrementalism, can scale across every workflow, every employee, every customer interaction, and every decision. — Brian Solis, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026 For most people, Starmerism is incrementalism leading nowhere in particular—a program that is nowhere near adequate to confront Britain’s economic stagnation or its political splintering. — Sam Knight, New Yorker, 14 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for incrementalism

Word History

First Known Use

1966, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of incrementalism was in 1966

Rhymes for incrementalism

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Browse Nearby Words

incremental
incrementalism
incremental repetition
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Cite this Entry

“Incrementalism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incrementalism. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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