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
Populations have since gradually recovered due to conservation efforts.
—
Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 22 June 2026
Chetty, the economist, observed that the likelihood of outearning one’s parents gradually fell from ninety-two per cent among those born in 1940 to about fifty per cent among those born forty years later.
—Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 22 June 2026
According to Bethany Menzel, co-founder and creative director of Saltyface, transparent tanning products that develop gradually are the way to go for an everyday glow that’s easy to maintain.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 22 June 2026
After that, bone breakdown gradually begins to outpace bone formation, particularly with aging and hormonal changes.
—Priya Bhardwaj, The Conversation, 22 June 2026
The active storm pattern will gradually shift northward during the second half of the week, allowing temperatures to climb.
—Michael Autovino, CBS News, 22 June 2026
Knitwear was present in polo shirts, gradually replacing the T-shirt.
—Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 22 June 2026
Thomas Mathews, head of markets for Asia Pacific from Capital Economics, believes energy flows in the strait are more likely to recover only gradually.
—ABC News, 22 June 2026
As the project gradually took shape in late 2025, the idea of inviting Richard Kelly to accompany the release first emerged.
—José Salazar, IndieWire, 22 June 2026
Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 22 June 2026
Chetty, the economist, observed that the likelihood of outearning one’s parents gradually fell from ninety-two per cent among those born in 1940 to about fifty per cent among those born forty years later.
—Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 22 June 2026
According to Bethany Menzel, co-founder and creative director of Saltyface, transparent tanning products that develop gradually are the way to go for an everyday glow that’s easy to maintain.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 22 June 2026
After that, bone breakdown gradually begins to outpace bone formation, particularly with aging and hormonal changes.
—Priya Bhardwaj, The Conversation, 22 June 2026
The active storm pattern will gradually shift northward during the second half of the week, allowing temperatures to climb.
—Michael Autovino, CBS News, 22 June 2026
Knitwear was present in polo shirts, gradually replacing the T-shirt.
—Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 22 June 2026
Thomas Mathews, head of markets for Asia Pacific from Capital Economics, believes energy flows in the strait are more likely to recover only gradually.
—ABC News, 22 June 2026
As the project gradually took shape in late 2025, the idea of inviting Richard Kelly to accompany the release first emerged.
—José Salazar, IndieWire, 22 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gradually
Adverb
-
Further up, life was slowly starting to return downtown with the grounds of the national palace once more serving as the seat of the government after years of being off-limits due to the violence.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
17 June 2026
-
The area where a coach’s fingerprints are most evident is on special teams, and Vegas’ power play slowly deteriorated down the stretch.—
Jesse Granger,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
Adverb
-
Carroll said Franklin also shaped the path for present-day meteorologists, like CBS Philadelphia's Grant Gilmore, who track a range of weather patterns, including an ongoing trend of progressively warmer temperatures due to pollution from cars and factories.—
Brandon Goldner,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
-
This is particularly useful in the Sahel, as the tactics of jihadist groups progressively resemble those of organized criminal networks.—
Kaitlyn Rabe,
The Conversation,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gradually.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gradually. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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