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
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Recent Examples of gradients
His process combines acrylic sprays, clouded gradients, and thick, deliberate brushstrokes to achieve depth, contrast and luminosity.
—
Emma Kershaw, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Winter aura nails are taking the season’s moodiest shades and softest gradients to a whole new level.
—Jennifer Hussein, InStyle, 17 Jan. 2026
Hisense says cyan occupies a part of the spectrum where the human eye is especially sensitive, allowing the panel to render smoother gradients, more realistic tones and subtler transitions without oversaturation.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 5 Jan. 2026
Calendar pages with gradients, text overlays, or metallic accents create the most striking effects for this one, as the spiral created reveals unexpected color combinations.
—Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 31 Dec. 2025
Columns painted in gradients of yellow, red, and bronze evoke stability and uplift.
—Matthew Kayser, Miami Herald, 30 Dec. 2025
The image was captured using the telescope's most sensitive X-ray instrument, the European Photon Imaging Camera (EPIC)-pn, revealing a distinct X-ray glow (shown in red) surrounded by fainter gradients.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 18 Dec. 2025
What helped to get this gizmo working consistently was realizing that proton magnetometers don’t tolerate large gradients in the magnetic field.
—David Schneider, IEEE Spectrum, 25 Nov. 2025
Fortunately, the terrain doesn’t give me much choice early on, launching into some absurd gradients as steep as 36 percent—essentially a wall.
—Joe Baur, Outside, 31 Oct. 2025
Emma Kershaw, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Winter aura nails are taking the season’s moodiest shades and softest gradients to a whole new level.
—Jennifer Hussein, InStyle, 17 Jan. 2026
Hisense says cyan occupies a part of the spectrum where the human eye is especially sensitive, allowing the panel to render smoother gradients, more realistic tones and subtler transitions without oversaturation.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 5 Jan. 2026
Calendar pages with gradients, text overlays, or metallic accents create the most striking effects for this one, as the spiral created reveals unexpected color combinations.
—Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 31 Dec. 2025
Columns painted in gradients of yellow, red, and bronze evoke stability and uplift.
—Matthew Kayser, Miami Herald, 30 Dec. 2025
The image was captured using the telescope's most sensitive X-ray instrument, the European Photon Imaging Camera (EPIC)-pn, revealing a distinct X-ray glow (shown in red) surrounded by fainter gradients.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 18 Dec. 2025
What helped to get this gizmo working consistently was realizing that proton magnetometers don’t tolerate large gradients in the magnetic field.
—David Schneider, IEEE Spectrum, 25 Nov. 2025
Fortunately, the terrain doesn’t give me much choice early on, launching into some absurd gradients as steep as 36 percent—essentially a wall.
—Joe Baur, Outside, 31 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gradients
Noun
-
Around the same window, the Skeleton medal finals on February 14–15 bring drama to the slopes, with athletes hurtling headfirst down the track at extreme speeds in one of the most visually intense events of the Winter Olympics.—
Sam Leveridge,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The spot stars Kurt Russell as a legendary instructor guiding Lewis Pullman’s character named Greg through an intense training journey on the ski slopes, with a round of Michelob Ultra on the line.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
But the car—small, low to the ground, and exceedingly heavy, owing to the ballistic steel and glass—is not suited to a city like Caracas, which is rife with steep inclines and deep potholes, and is best travelled in a four-by-four.—
Armando Ledezma,
New Yorker,
14 Jan. 2026
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Its flexible 3-layer HydroWall shell is completely waterproof and still breathable, with pit zips to release excess heat on steep inclines.—
Annita Katee,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Trump’s inclinations to make every race about him could foul this for the GOP.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
26 Jan. 2026
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The trick is to select a paint color that is calming and neutral enough so as not to be too visually demanding, while also speaking to your personal style and color inclinations.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
19 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gradients.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gradients. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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