gradation
noun
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In the Boy Scouts, gradations of rank move upward from Tenderfoot to Eagle Scout. A violin or a voice can produce gradations of musical pitch too small to appear in written music. In the 18th century Jonathan Swift could even write of "the several kinds and gradations of laughter, which ladies must daily practice by the looking-glass".
Examples of gradation in a Sentence
Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 20 Nov. 2023
Leaves transition from shades of green to a breathtaking gradation of red, orange and yellow.
—Tokyo Halfie, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Oct. 2023
Another key problem is that the movie, though appealingly shot in gradations of dreaminess and realism by cinematographer Alwin H. Küchler, is trapped between character study and avenging thriller, leaving both sides starved for oxygen.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2023
If the light mentioned in the title refers to subtle gradations on a spectrum, the light in the limited series is like having somebody activate their iPhone flashlight app in your eyes.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Sep. 2023
The diverse landscape unveils its ever-changing tapestry of colors, from the delicate pink sakura cherry blossoms in the spring to the vibrant fiery gradation of koyo autumn foliage.
—Tokyo Halfie, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Oct. 2023
In Van Cleef & Arpels’s latest high jewelry collection, the French jeweler unveiled its own take on the classic: a string of white cultured pearls, meticulously color-matched and assembled with a subtle gradation in size.
—Ashley Wong, WSJ, 1 Oct. 2023
And there’s a gradation between, because there are people who show up once and then might not show up for the rest of the year.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 12 Sep. 2023
And all these categories and gradations of marginalization are enforced by legal, political, and security measures imposed by state actors who are accountable to only a portion of the population.
—Michael Barnett, Foreign Affairs, 14 Apr. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gradation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
see grade entry 1
1549, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Dictionary Entries Near gradation
Cite this Entry
“Gradation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gradation. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
gradation
noun
More from Merriam-Webster on gradation
Nglish: Translation of gradation for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of gradation for Arabic Speakers
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