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

Amendment 5 would direct the Legislature to gradually eliminate the individual income tax as state revenue grows. — ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026

Redbord pointed to how this token was concentrated in a small number of hands and price support eroded gradually, instead of all at once. — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026

If four minutes feels like too much, start shorter, like 30 seconds, and build up gradually. — Hannah Coates, Vogue, 3 Aug. 2026

Adri Salido / Getty Images Moroccan border controls were gradually relaxed during July and were allegedly removed as crowds surged toward the Tarajal crossing during Morocco’s Throne Day holiday, the reports said. — Reuters, NBC news, 3 Aug. 2026

As speeds increased and night driving became routine, these simple visibility requirements gradually hardened into the more technical headlight regulations that shaped modern automotive lighting design. — Matthew MacConnell, ArsTechnica, 3 Aug. 2026

Customers can initially rely on natural gas before gradually replacing it with hydrogen produced from low-carbon ammonia as supplies become available. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Aug. 2026

Mahle’s four-seam fastball velocity has also gradually ticked up in recent starts as well. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 3 Aug. 2026

Japan is gradually restoring generation, but much of Europe remains below the levels reached a decade ago. — Robert Rapier, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026