piecemeal

Universal Words adjective [usuallybeforenoun] (often disapproving) done or happening gradually at different times and often in different ways, rather than carefully planned at the beginning: a piecemeal approach to dealing with the problem * piecemeal changes / reforms * Alterations have been carried out on a piecemeal basis. piecemeal adverb: The reforms were implemented piecemeal. * The companies were broken up and sold off piecemeal over several years.