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
Instead, the buildup is expected to be more gradual, as corporate stockpiles are depleted and alternative supply chains reach their limits.
—
Arkansas Online, 13 Aug. 2025
This results in a more gradual buildup of creatine stores.
—Emmanuella Ogbonna, Health, 12 Aug. 2025
The storm is moving toward the west-northwest and this motion is expected to continue over the next couple of days with a gradual decrease in forward speed.
—Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 1 Aug. 2025
The chart shows steady collections around $2-4 billion from 2015-2017, followed by gradual increases to $6-8 billion through 2020-2024, then a sharp upward spike in 2025 reaching a peak of $27.2 billion in June 2025.
—Steve Kopack, NBC news, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for gradual
Arkansas Online, 13 Aug. 2025
This results in a more gradual buildup of creatine stores.
—Emmanuella Ogbonna, Health, 12 Aug. 2025
The storm is moving toward the west-northwest and this motion is expected to continue over the next couple of days with a gradual decrease in forward speed.
—Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 1 Aug. 2025
The chart shows steady collections around $2-4 billion from 2015-2017, followed by gradual increases to $6-8 billion through 2020-2024, then a sharp upward spike in 2025 reaching a peak of $27.2 billion in June 2025.
—Steve Kopack, NBC news, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for gradual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gradual
incremental
Adjective
-
So, even small incremental improvements in employee retention can have a dramatic impact.—
Brent Gleeson,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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After years of progress (however incremental), 2025 is the year many companies quietly reversed course.—
Katica Roy,
Fortune,
15 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gradual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gradual. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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