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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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of gradient The left side of the concrete beads gradient from gray to black and back to gray before the ends of the wire show through the right side of the work. Mario Rodriguez, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2025 The new style blends a nearly white, soft pink synthetic upper with a pink gradient fade mesh design. Riley Jones, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2025 The sky was a smooth gradient against the slurred surface of the water. Eren Orbey, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025 The architects will be tasked with bringing best practice to any plans, be that working on seat size, stand gradients, or removing the roof to form an extra tier. Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gradient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gradient
Noun
  • Perched on a steep, dramatic slope at Stokes Point, just outside Sydney, Belah House is a five-story waterfront residence unlike anything else in the country.
    Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 11 Nov. 2025
  • The west slopes of the central Appalachians could pick up several inches Monday.
    Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 10 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • The inclination to avoid that threshold already impacted Denver’s decision not to sign a rookie contract extension with Peyton Watson last month.
    Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Lin—whose early career at Zappos and mathematical inclinations molded him into an early backer of companies like Airbnb and DoorDash—has been at Sequoia since 2010.
    Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • The seven-mile Torreya Challenge Loop steadily climbs and dips, meandering over creeks, an old forest road, and blackberry brambles, following a ridge where mountain laurels bloom in the spring and visitors can find the steepest incline in the park.
    Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 9 Nov. 2025
  • The trail transitions into the Chimney Flats Trail, which travels northwest up an incline for roughly a mile before coming to a paved road.
    Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Gradient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gradient. Accessed 26 Nov. 2025.

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