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
Because hearing changes usually happen gradually, many people adapt without realizing how much their hearing has shifted.
—
Matthew Kayser, Sacbee.com, 18 May 2026
Democrats in both chambers are vowing to press on and Republican defections are gradually growing in each chamber.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 18 May 2026
As a result, mathematical truths do not make up a unified whole of equally indubitable truths; instead, their status as knowledge varies gradually from doubtless facts to increasingly uncertain hypotheses.
—Quanta Magazine, 18 May 2026
Many platforms prioritize newer or recently updated listings in search results, meaning stale ads can gradually become buried beneath newer postings.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 18 May 2026
That fee was already scheduled to gradually increase over several years.
—Eve Chen, USA Today, 18 May 2026
The turn toward eveningness begins around age 10, peaks in the late teenage years (around 19 to 21-years old), and then gradually reverses.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Leeds saw no problem in agreeing a plan which eased him in and gradually built his minutes instead of, for example, throwing him into 90 minutes away at Arsenal on August 23.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 17 May 2026
Throughout the season, Kerr continued finding ways to work more lyrics into his postgame remarks, gradually making his way through the entire track while keeping the running joke under wraps, according to the outlet.
—Paloma Chavez, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
Matthew Kayser, Sacbee.com, 18 May 2026
Democrats in both chambers are vowing to press on and Republican defections are gradually growing in each chamber.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 18 May 2026
As a result, mathematical truths do not make up a unified whole of equally indubitable truths; instead, their status as knowledge varies gradually from doubtless facts to increasingly uncertain hypotheses.
—Quanta Magazine, 18 May 2026
Many platforms prioritize newer or recently updated listings in search results, meaning stale ads can gradually become buried beneath newer postings.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 18 May 2026
That fee was already scheduled to gradually increase over several years.
—Eve Chen, USA Today, 18 May 2026
The turn toward eveningness begins around age 10, peaks in the late teenage years (around 19 to 21-years old), and then gradually reverses.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Leeds saw no problem in agreeing a plan which eased him in and gradually built his minutes instead of, for example, throwing him into 90 minutes away at Arsenal on August 23.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 17 May 2026
Throughout the season, Kerr continued finding ways to work more lyrics into his postgame remarks, gradually making his way through the entire track while keeping the running joke under wraps, according to the outlet.
—Paloma Chavez, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gradually
Adverb
-
According to the rescue group, Miracle is being fed slowly while doctors work to gradually stabilize her sodium levels.—
Joan Murray,
CBS News,
19 May 2026
-
Slide down the wall slowly, bending your knees, and stopping when your thighs are about parallel to the floor.—
Christa Sgobba,
Health,
19 May 2026
Adverb
-
This theory is becoming progressively harder to maintain because Alphabet's strength was never solely rooted in model quality.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
-
The company has been cagey about deadlines in the past, and to keep dunnarts alive past birth, Pask’s team would still need to develop a synthetic pouch for the tiny animal — born smaller than a grain of rice — complete with synthetic nipples that get progressively larger as the baby grows.—
Alex Morris,
Rolling Stone,
19 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gradually.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gradually. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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