Synonyms of gradually

gradually

adverb

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• slowly
• bit by bit
• progressively
• by degrees
• inch by inch
• little by little
• piece by piece
• increasingly
• piecemeal
• gradationally
• imperceptibly
• hierarchically
• inchmeal
• fractionally
• crescively

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• suddenly
• abruptly
• sharply
• steeply
• acutely
• hastily
• precipitously

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of gradually

Over time, automakers have gradually improved their vehicles' average efficiency. — Arkansas Online, 29 Sep. 2026

The water level rose and fell daily, the cycles gradually shifting over the course of the month. — Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026

Diverse and exploratory behavior gradually gave way to persistent repetition. — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 28 Sep. 2026

Mileage standards, known as the corporate average fuel economy, or CAFE, have been implemented since the 1970s energy crisis, and over time, automakers have gradually improved their vehicles’ average efficiency. — ABC News, 28 Sep. 2026

Tuesday will start mostly cloudy before skies gradually clear, with a high near 77 degrees. — The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Sun, 28 Sep. 2026

The afternoon hours will feature cloudy to mostly cloudy skies with gradually warming temperatures into the upper 60s to around 70°. — Steven Sosna, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026

In 2022, a team of researchers led by Paris Observatory astronomer Melaine Saillenfest revisited the idea that Uranus may have been gradually tilted long ago by the presence of a large object. — Micah Hanks, Space.com, 28 Sep. 2026

OpenAI, Google, Apple and Amazon, along with Meta, have been working towards this future for years and have gradually rolled out new agent-like features. — Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2026