increment
noun
in·cre·ment
ˈiŋ-krə-mənt 
ˈin-
1
: the amount or degree by which something changes
especially
: the amount of positive or negative change in the value of one or more of a set of variables
2
a
: one of a series of regular consecutive additions
b
: a minute increase in quantity
c
: something gained or added
3
: the action or process of increasing especially in quantity or value : enlargement
Did you know?
Increment is used in many technical fields, but also nontechnically. Incremental increases in drug dosages are used for experimental purposes. Incremental tax increases are easier to swallow than sudden large increases. Incremental changes of any kind may be hard to notice, but can be very significant in the long run. Rome wasn't built in a day, but was instead built up by increments from a couple of villages in the 10th century B.C. to the capital of the Mediterranean world in the 1st century A.D.
Examples of increment in a Sentence
They increased the dosage of the drug in small increments over a period of several weeks.
Fines increase in increments of $10.
The volume is adjustable in 10 equal increments.
Recent Examples on the Web
In the Polestar 2, range drops in increments of 10 miles but the Polestar 3 gives more precise estimations.
—
Trinity Francis, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
This is a great way to use your giant warehouse bottle of olive oil in smaller increments.
—Nora Colomer, FOXNews.com, 29 Mar. 2025
Learning rates control the increment size used to update various parts of a model's weights during fine-tuning.
—ArsTechnica, 28 Mar. 2025
Run a Stream of Cool Tap Water Over Your Tongue
Run a stream of cool water over your tongue in 20-minute increments for up to three hours.
—Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for increment
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Trinity Francis, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
This is a great way to use your giant warehouse bottle of olive oil in smaller increments.
—Nora Colomer, FOXNews.com, 29 Mar. 2025
Learning rates control the increment size used to update various parts of a model's weights during fine-tuning.
—ArsTechnica, 28 Mar. 2025
Run a Stream of Cool Tap Water Over Your Tongue
Run a stream of cool water over your tongue in 20-minute increments for up to three hours.
—Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for increment
Cite this Entry
“Increment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/increment. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
increment
noun
in·cre·ment
ˈiŋ-krə-mənt
ˈin-
1
: a growth especially in quantity or value : increase
2
a
: something gained or added
b
: one of a series of additions
incremental
adjective
ˌiŋ-krə-ˈment-ᵊl
ˌin-
Medical Definition
increment
noun
in·cre·ment
ˈiŋ-krə-mənt, ˈin-
1
a
: something gained or added
the most common form of leukocytosis is that in which the increment is in the neutrophilic leukocytes—W. A. D. Anderson
W. A. D. Anderson
b
: one of a series of regular consecutive additions (as of growth or spread of disease)
2
: the amount or degree by which something changes
especially
: the amount of positive or negative change in the value of one or more of a set of variables
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