as in slopes
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 gradients
The very act of extracting energy from those gradients and feeding off of it, in some variety, is what fuels all biological processes at their core.
—
Big Think, 9 Apr. 2026
Human eyes are remarkably good at sensing color gradients and brightness changes.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 9 Apr. 2026
Once the dome opens, the telescope and its supporting mechanical structures are exposed to extreme cold and sharp thermal gradients.
—Tejasri Gururaj, Interesting Engineering, 30 Mar. 2026
These wind gusts are usually the product of strong pressure gradients or large changes in pressure over short distances.
—Ray Petelin, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
The diffused color gradients will bring life to more drab office setups, and be a nice nod to the marble book ends sitting on the neighboring bookshelf.
—Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 23 Mar. 2026
The Reality of the ‘Active’ Aesthetic This NYFW appearance follows the success of the O3 Air Winter Edition, which used bold gradients to mimic the textures of a frozen landscape.
—Footwear News, 18 Mar. 2026
Weak offshore gradients that bring warm desert air to the coast add to the heat, said Robbie Monroe, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.
—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Soft sorbet shades worn as gradients, accents and French tips make for a gorgeous nod to spring.
—Elle Turner, Glamour, 10 Mar. 2026
Big Think, 9 Apr. 2026
Human eyes are remarkably good at sensing color gradients and brightness changes.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 9 Apr. 2026
Once the dome opens, the telescope and its supporting mechanical structures are exposed to extreme cold and sharp thermal gradients.
—Tejasri Gururaj, Interesting Engineering, 30 Mar. 2026
These wind gusts are usually the product of strong pressure gradients or large changes in pressure over short distances.
—Ray Petelin, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
The diffused color gradients will bring life to more drab office setups, and be a nice nod to the marble book ends sitting on the neighboring bookshelf.
—Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 23 Mar. 2026
The Reality of the ‘Active’ Aesthetic This NYFW appearance follows the success of the O3 Air Winter Edition, which used bold gradients to mimic the textures of a frozen landscape.
—Footwear News, 18 Mar. 2026
Weak offshore gradients that bring warm desert air to the coast add to the heat, said Robbie Monroe, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.
—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Soft sorbet shades worn as gradients, accents and French tips make for a gorgeous nod to spring.
—Elle Turner, Glamour, 10 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gradients
Noun
-
Other steep mountain slopes in Alaska are moving down to the water faster than this one appeared to be.—
Ella Nilsen,
CNN Money,
6 May 2026
-
On the slopes of the Sierra de Cantabria in La Rioja, San Vicente de la Sonsierra is a village at the top of a hill overlooking the Ebro River, with sweeping views toward the setting sun in August.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
Between slick tiles and steep inclines, locals rely on comfortable, supportive shoes—usually sleek sneakers, sturdy flats, or low-profile sandals.—
Samantha Leal,
Travel + Leisure,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The story follows struggling creatives navigating debt, eviction threats and a precarious gig economy, visualized in Riley’s inventive style — from looming piles of eviction notices to characters literally struggling up and down steep inclines that mirror the instability of their lives.—
Deborah Sengupta Stith,
Austin American Statesman,
17 Mar. 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
-
Samuel Alito’s inclinations have not been hard to discern lately.—
Peter S. Canellos,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gradients.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gradients. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
