bit by bit

Idioms  

1. Also, little by little. Gradually, by small degrees, slowly. For example, The squirrels dug up the lawn bit by bit, till we had almost no grass, or Little by little he began to understand what John was getting at. The first term was first recorded in 1849, although bit in the sense of “small amount” is much older; the variant dates from the 1400s.

---

Example Sentences

Another acquaintance said that Pauline would wear two sets of clothes out of the house so that she could sneak her wardrobe out, bit by bit, without Pusser noticing.

From Slate • Nov. 6, 2025

She has since sold off her gold bit by bit to get by.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 6, 2025

Their envy does pour out immediately but strains forth bit by bit, pressing through the narrow gaps in their bleached smiles.

From Salon • Feb. 16, 2025

The true nature of what has happened is only likely to trickle out bit by bit from the Iranian authorities.

From BBC • Oct. 25, 2024

You’ve begun to notice, though, that, bit by bit the sense of being outside of yourself has diminished with each passing day.

From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman