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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Example Sentences
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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
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His achievements on the remote, snowy slopes of Mount Everest and nearby K2, the world’s second-tallest peak, assured him a niche in the record books.—
Gene Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
-
His achievements on the remote, snowy slopes of Mount Everest and nearby K2, the world's second-tallest peak, assured him a niche in the record books.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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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
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Servicing a mountainous areas like Escondido drives up costs, as an expensive network of pipes and pump stations is needed to move water up and down considerable inclines, said Kyle Morgan, the city’s acting director of utilities and wastewater.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Samuel Alito’s inclinations have not been hard to discern lately.—
Peter S. Canellos,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2026
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Even in the present tense, the characters express no political opinions, taste in movies and music, hobbies—or backstories that shape such inclinations.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gradients.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gradients. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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