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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak
CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com
refine incrementally
Grammar usage guide and real-world examplesUSAGE SUMMARY
The phrase "refine incrementally" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing a process of gradual improvement or enhancement over time, often in contexts like project management, software development, or personal growth. Example: "To achieve the best results, we should refine incrementally, making small adjustments based on feedback."
✓ Grammatically correct
Science
News & Media
Formal & Business
Alternative expressions(18)
improve gradually
implement over time
achieve over time
improve over time
advance in stages
provide over time
evolve over time
build up gradually
worsen over time
get better with age
decline over time
progress steadily
improves over time
refined over time
mature with time
develop gradually
review iteratively
periodically examine
Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources
Similar Expressions
60 human-written examples
Her research gave her an evolutionary view of how narrative forms develop: after a new medium is invented, storytelling conventions don't crystallize overnight; they get refined incrementally, often in complex dialogue with the needs, desires, and problems of the cultures that produce them.
News & Media
Second, the properties of the synthesized speech can be refined by incrementally adjusting the interpolation ratios.
A distributed and asynchronous optimisation algorithm is presented which allows each agent to incrementally refine their decisions while intermittently communicating with the rest of the team.
Critiquing in recommender systems has been accepted as an effective feedback mechanism that allows users to incrementally refine their preferences for product attributes, especially in complex decision environments and high-investment product domains where users' initial preferences are usually uncertain and incomplete.
Thus, an arbitrary solid model SM designed by a set of design features is stored as a much coarser solid model SM0 together with a sequence of n detail records that indicate how to incrementally refine SM0 exactly back into the original solid model SM=SMn.
Science
As you can see, this algorithm delays refinement for as long as possible by incrementally refining primitives when they are in a terminal node (and building a new tree for them), and by lazy evaluation of the tree.
Academia
The results are stored and analyzed, and through this human-machine symbiosis, Google's image-searching algorithms are incrementally refined.
News & Media
But the 500 — incrementally refined in successive years — proved a mighty mite; Fiat sold nearly four million over the next two decades.
News & Media
Once it is a matter of incrementally refining new energy technologies and manufacturing them in vast quantities, Japan will be very well placed.
News & Media
An evolutionary path is identified which shows how the classical (state-based) planning strategy can be incrementally refined into strategies capable of generating parallel plans.
Science
Third, terminological cycles and inconsistencies are manually eliminated and, in the last step, the knowledge base built this way is incrementally refined by a medical expert.
Expert writing Tips
Best practice
Use "refine incrementally" to describe processes where improvements are made in small, manageable steps. This highlights a deliberate and controlled approach to development or enhancement.
Common error
Don't use "refine incrementally" when a single, sweeping change is more appropriate. This phrase suggests a gradual approach, so ensure it aligns with the actual method being employed.
Source & Trust
60%
Authority and reliability
3.8/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested
Linguistic Context
The phrase "refine incrementally" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb to specify how an action is performed. It describes the manner of refinement, indicating that it occurs in gradual steps. Ludwig confirms this is correct and usable in English.
Frequent in
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News & Media
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Formal & Business
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Less common in
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Ludwig's WRAP-UP
In summary, "refine incrementally" is a grammatically correct adverbial phrase used to describe a process of gradual improvement. As confirmed by Ludwig, it is suitable for formal, professional, and academic contexts. While its usage frequency is currently low, it effectively communicates a deliberate and controlled approach. Alternative phrases like "improve gradually" or "iteratively improve" can be used depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.
More alternative expressions(10)
Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:
Improve gradually
Replaces "refine" with "improve" for a simpler term.
Enhance progressively
Substitutes both "refine" and "incrementally" with synonyms emphasizing continuous advancement.
Step-by-step refinement
Reorders the words to emphasize a process that's incremental. Changes the structure to noun form.
Iteratively improve
Focuses on the iterative nature of the refinement process using the verb "improve".
Gradually perfect
Emphasizes the pursuit of perfection through a slow and steady process.
Continuously hone
Uses "hone" as a more specific synonym for refine, implying sharpening or focusing.
Refine in stages
Breaks the refinement process down into distinct steps.
Incrementally adjust
Focuses on making small adjustments as part of the refinement process.
Develop by degrees
Highlights the gradual development aspect of refinement.
Polish bit by bit
Uses a more informal, visual metaphor for gradual refinement.
FAQs
How can I use "refine incrementally" in a sentence?
You can use "refine incrementally" to describe a process that is improved gradually over time, like "The software was "refined incrementally" with each update".
What's a good alternative to "refine incrementally"?
Alternatives include "improve gradually", "enhance progressively", or "iteratively improve", depending on the specific context and desired emphasis.
Is it better to "refine incrementally" or make big changes at once?
It depends on the situation. Refining incrementally is suitable when you want to test changes slowly. Making big changes at once might be better when an overhaul is needed.
What does it mean to "refine incrementally" a process?
To "refine incrementally" a process means to improve it gradually by making small, iterative changes. This approach allows for continuous assessment and adjustment, leading to a more optimized outcome.
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Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Source & Trust
60%
Authority and reliability
3.8/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested