as in slowly
by small steps or amounts
gradually worked his way down the class roster add the sugar to the beaten egg whites gradually to make the meringue
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Recent Examples of gradually
The two neighbors have been working gradually to improve ties since last year.
—
Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 7 Apr. 2026
Lykke Leonardsen, who runs Copenhagen’s Resilient and Sustainable City Solutions program and serves as the city’s informal water ambassador, told me that the intent was to hold hearings, win approval in August, and invest gradually.
—Eric Klinenberg, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
The government recently declined to cap how much coal can be used, walking back its commitment to gradually reduce coal consumption, according to analysts at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.
—ABC News, 6 Apr. 2026
As the fungi extended more hyphae, the branching network pulsed and gradually expanded into a nutrient-gobbling lace.
—Quanta Magazine, 6 Apr. 2026
Curricula gradually shifted toward more varied, active, and creative instructional methods.
—Big Think, 6 Apr. 2026
It was gradually phased out beginning in the mid-1980s and discontinued in 1996.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2026
Light-bloom torture-test shots of colorful objects against completely black backgrounds also produced significant haze that tapered off gradually across the screen.
—Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 6 Apr. 2026
Even with its challenges, Inside Safe has been gradually moving a greater percentage of its residents into permanent housing, where they are no longer governed by such a wide array of rules.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026
Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 7 Apr. 2026
Lykke Leonardsen, who runs Copenhagen’s Resilient and Sustainable City Solutions program and serves as the city’s informal water ambassador, told me that the intent was to hold hearings, win approval in August, and invest gradually.
—Eric Klinenberg, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
The government recently declined to cap how much coal can be used, walking back its commitment to gradually reduce coal consumption, according to analysts at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.
—ABC News, 6 Apr. 2026
As the fungi extended more hyphae, the branching network pulsed and gradually expanded into a nutrient-gobbling lace.
—Quanta Magazine, 6 Apr. 2026
Curricula gradually shifted toward more varied, active, and creative instructional methods.
—Big Think, 6 Apr. 2026
It was gradually phased out beginning in the mid-1980s and discontinued in 1996.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2026
Light-bloom torture-test shots of colorful objects against completely black backgrounds also produced significant haze that tapered off gradually across the screen.
—Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 6 Apr. 2026
Even with its challenges, Inside Safe has been gradually moving a greater percentage of its residents into permanent housing, where they are no longer governed by such a wide array of rules.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gradually
Adverb
-
After starting the season very slowly, Alvarez hit a superb hat-trick in a 3-2 win over Rayo Vallecano in September.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The key is to start slowly — using it just two to three nights per week — to avoid irritation while your skin adjusts.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
7 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
That led to more bets with progressively larger sums, but big winnings never materialized.—
Stephanie Dhue,Sharon Epperson,
CNBC,
3 Apr. 2026
-
But his next two Survivor runs were progressively disappointing.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gradually.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gradually. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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