as in incremental
proceeding or changing by steps or degrees
a gradual drop in gas prices will take place over the next several months
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Recent Examples of gradual
These quarterbacks represent the culmination of decades of struggle and gradual change in a league that once systematically excluded Black athletes from football’s most important position.
—
Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 4 Sep. 2025
The fields generally have a gradual slope that adds diversity to the terrain that appeals to different bird species, and they are set up for flood irrigation.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2025
The new agreement includes 18 drama series from CJ ENM, which will be made available to Indian audiences through a gradual rollout.
—Sara Merican, Deadline, 4 Sep. 2025
That's why the changes will be gradual, not a single spike.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gradual
Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 4 Sep. 2025
The fields generally have a gradual slope that adds diversity to the terrain that appeals to different bird species, and they are set up for flood irrigation.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2025
The new agreement includes 18 drama series from CJ ENM, which will be made available to Indian audiences through a gradual rollout.
—Sara Merican, Deadline, 4 Sep. 2025
That's why the changes will be gradual, not a single spike.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gradual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gradual
Adjective
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Together, French Gates and Dugan are betting that progress in women’s health, long treated as incremental, can finally be pursued with urgency.—
Moira Forbes,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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Success for Apple would depend on whether consumers will accept higher prices for incremental improvements while Apple develops its next generation of software capabilities.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Most enterprises operate hybrid environments combining legacy systems, modern processors and various service providers—making a phased approach essential for managing risk while demonstrating value.—
Dave Glaser,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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Because of that overt threat, all of the hostage deals so far were designed as phased and gradual, according to an Israeli source with knowledge of the negotiations.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
25 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gradual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gradual. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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