gradation
noun
gra·da·tion
grā-ˈdā-shən 
grə-
1
a
: a series forming successive stages
the gradations of evolutionary development
b
: a step or place in an ordered scale
2
: an advance by regular degrees
gradations of social progress
3
: a gradual passing from one tint or shade to another
4
: the act or process of grading
5
: ablaut
gradationally
adverb
Did you know?
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
Recent Examples on the Web
Our surroundings went from green to black in a line so stark as to be rarely found in nature, which prefers to operate in gradations.
—
Joan Meiners, AZCentral.com, 20 Oct. 2025
The cool colors seemed colder, the warm ones red-hot, and the subtle gradations across the spectrum were seemingly infinite and filled with rich detail.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 7 Oct. 2025
Or whatever gradation of happiness translated to social media.
—Bryan Washington, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2025
The camera also saves images with 16-bit color, which, along with its big surface area, makes for smoother gradation between tones than even a full-frame chip can muster.
—PC Magazine, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gradation
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Joan Meiners, AZCentral.com, 20 Oct. 2025
The cool colors seemed colder, the warm ones red-hot, and the subtle gradations across the spectrum were seemingly infinite and filled with rich detail.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 7 Oct. 2025
Or whatever gradation of happiness translated to social media.
—Bryan Washington, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2025
The camera also saves images with 16-bit color, which, along with its big surface area, makes for smoother gradation between tones than even a full-frame chip can muster.
—PC Magazine, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gradation
Cite this Entry
“Gradation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gradation. Accessed 27 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
gradation
noun
gra·da·tion
grā-ˈdā-shən
grə-
1
a
: a series of grades
2
: the act or process of grading
gradationally
adverb
-ē
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