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
L’Heureux said the background warming taking place across the Pacific has been gradually causing the original method to lose sight of El Niño.
—
Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 17 Feb. 2026
If bloating shows up, scale back slightly and reintroduce fiber more gradually.
—Lynn Andriani, Martha Stewart, 16 Feb. 2026
These metals accumulate gradually, so older, larger fish like sharks and swordfish have the highest levels.
—Zia Sherrell, Health, 16 Feb. 2026
Fiber works best when increased gradually and paired with adequate hydration.
—Morgan Pearson, Verywell Health, 16 Feb. 2026
Winds will gradually decrease overnight.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 16 Feb. 2026
The heaviest snow and strongest winds are likely Wednesday, with conditions gradually tapering off late Wednesday.
—Brandi D. Addison, Freep.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Karmic doors close, while new paths gradually open.
—Marie Bladt, Vogue, 16 Feb. 2026
And Linda Cho’s costumes gradually track Child’s growing age and sophistication, though the schoolgirl uniform and giant platform shoes Kirk wears in the early college scene look silly.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Feb. 2026
Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 17 Feb. 2026
If bloating shows up, scale back slightly and reintroduce fiber more gradually.
—Lynn Andriani, Martha Stewart, 16 Feb. 2026
These metals accumulate gradually, so older, larger fish like sharks and swordfish have the highest levels.
—Zia Sherrell, Health, 16 Feb. 2026
Fiber works best when increased gradually and paired with adequate hydration.
—Morgan Pearson, Verywell Health, 16 Feb. 2026
Winds will gradually decrease overnight.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 16 Feb. 2026
The heaviest snow and strongest winds are likely Wednesday, with conditions gradually tapering off late Wednesday.
—Brandi D. Addison, Freep.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Karmic doors close, while new paths gradually open.
—Marie Bladt, Vogue, 16 Feb. 2026
And Linda Cho’s costumes gradually track Child’s growing age and sophistication, though the schoolgirl uniform and giant platform shoes Kirk wears in the early college scene look silly.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gradually
Adverb
-
As the crisis drags on, life is slowly grinding to a halt across this island of nearly 10 million people.—
Patrick Oppmann,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Scientists believe the geology of Mars may hold valuable clues about past ancient life, and so the robotic vehicles, controlled remotely from Earth, have slowly navigated the rocky terrain to scoop up and collect intriguing samples.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
Adverb
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Clarke's mother was there for six months, becoming progressively more starved and more obviously pregnant.—
Lesley Stahl,
CBS News,
16 Feb. 2026
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As participants' speed and accuracy improved, the training got progressively more difficult.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gradually.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gradually. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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