GRADUALLY Synonyms: 22 Similar and Opposite Words

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

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of gradually What looked like a Plum showcase during the first half gradually turned into a Mist surge as Stewart began asserting herself on both ends of the floor. —

Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2026 Fanatics has over the past decade gradually amassed a larger and larger share of sports fans’ wallets. —

Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 9 Mar. 2026 Grocery Outlet said the closures will happen gradually and are expected to be completed by the end of 2026, according to the release. —

Sacbee.com, 9 Mar. 2026 This is why people with digestive conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may want to monitor portion sizes and increase intake gradually. —

Daryl Austin, USA Today, 8 Mar. 2026 These interactions act like cosmic snowballs, gradually reshaping the surfaces and structures of the orbiting bodies. —

Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 8 Mar. 2026 Over time, the club seemingly expanded to include prominent business leaders and public officials, gradually shifting from a primarily artistic circle to a broader network of influential figures. —

Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 7 Mar. 2026 These nutrients are gradually released in low concentrations over a long period of time and roses absorb them and use them to produce their own food in the form of sugars through the process of photosynthesis. —

Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Mar. 2026 Huntington theorized that waves of democratization would make the world democratic gradually. —

Debidatta A. Mahapatra, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gradually

Adverb

The two major global economies have been slowly working towards improving ties since last year.

— Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2026
But standing under the trunk of her car, the door hanging above her head to block the rain, was Reverend Dallas Ann Thompson, handing out vigil service bulletins and smiling as people slowly formed a circle around her.

— Irene Wright, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026