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gradual

/ˈɡɹæd͡ʒuəl/noun, adjective3 syllables

Gradual means: proceeding in small stages.

Synonyms for gradual15

adjective, as in proceeding in small stages

bit-by-bit, in small stages, piecemeal, step-by-step, stepwise, gradational, gradatory, graduated, slow

adjective, as in (of a topographical gradient) not steep or abrupt

easy, gentle, sloping, inclined

also used for gradual

incremental, piecewise

Includes material from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Opposites of gradual

sudden, steep

What does gradual mean?3

adjective

1

proceeding in small stages“a gradual increase in prices”

2

(of a topographical gradient) not steep or abrupt“a gradual slope”

noun

1

(Roman Catholic Church) an antiphon (usually from the Book of Psalms) immediately after the epistle at Mass

Definitions from the Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Gradual in a sentence

  • Gradual improvements can be hard to notice, but they're still there.hecko
  • The gradual ruin of our country has to be stopped.unknown
  • Gradual changes take place in our city every year.aziza
  • This gradual rise is not a sharp upturn.LK
  • There is a gradual cline of decreasing size to the northward.remline
  • Embracing the unknown can be a gradual process.Nuel
  • My conversion to Islam was a gradual process.Amastan
  • Computers caused a great, if gradual, change.unknown

Sentences from Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR, credited to their authors.

Forms of gradual

as a noun

plural
graduals