as in slope
the degree to which something rises up from a position level with the horizon
the path goes up at a pretty steep gradient before leveling off
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gradient
Human eyes are remarkably good at sensing color gradients and brightness changes.
—
Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 9 Apr. 2026
The squoval nail shape further emphasizes the diffused look of the gradient design.
—Emily Kelleher, InStyle, 7 Apr. 2026
Once the countdown ends, users are shown detailed, text-heavy outlooks — including conditions, storm chances, wind speeds and temperatures — presented in bold gradient panels and block-style fonts.
—Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
In the Arctic, temperature gradients and thermal convection are the dominant drivers of atmospheric turbulence.
—Tejasri Gururaj, Interesting Engineering, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gradient
Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 9 Apr. 2026
The squoval nail shape further emphasizes the diffused look of the gradient design.
—Emily Kelleher, InStyle, 7 Apr. 2026
Once the countdown ends, users are shown detailed, text-heavy outlooks — including conditions, storm chances, wind speeds and temperatures — presented in bold gradient panels and block-style fonts.
—Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
In the Arctic, temperature gradients and thermal convection are the dominant drivers of atmospheric turbulence.
—Tejasri Gururaj, Interesting Engineering, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gradient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gradient
Noun
-
One branch slopes northeast to feed the Yellowstone caldera, while a second branches off toward the Snake River Plain.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Scheffler rolled in an 18-foot eagle putt on the par-5 second hole, and followed with a driver on the 350-yard third hole that tumbled up the slope and onto the green, setting up a two-putt birdie from about 35 feet.—
Doug Ferguson,
Twin Cities,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Who knew that such daring would lead to a film that avoids these inclinations entirely, especially one that could have so easily leaned into controversial territory?—
David Opie,
IndieWire,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The 11 satellites on board are flying to a mid-inclination orbit.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The portable treadmill is designed to fit easily into your space, turning any room into a walking track with adjustable incline, remote control, and a display for tracking distance and calories.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
The Sleep Foundation notes that this incline uses gravity to prevent acid from flowing back into the esophagus.—
Allison Palmer,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gradient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gradient. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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