as in incremental
proceeding or changing by steps or degrees
a gradual drop in gas prices will take place over the next several months
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Recent Examples of gradual
They could have been sculpted by wind, but the investigators ruled that out because there would have been more chaotic variation in the angles along the 0.8-mile stretch, rather than the gradual sloping that Zhurong documented.
—
Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 25 Feb. 2025
President Nixon’s behavior caused grave tensions between the three branches of government, but the buildup was protracted and gradual.
—Mattathias Schwartz, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2025
Or something more of a gradual to give us time to trim down.
—Mitch Light, The Athletic, 12 Feb. 2025
Four Senate Republicans, all women, broke with their party and voted with Democrats in favor of the gradual phase-out, which failed on a 22 to 14 vote.
—Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 15 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gradual
Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 25 Feb. 2025
President Nixon’s behavior caused grave tensions between the three branches of government, but the buildup was protracted and gradual.
—Mattathias Schwartz, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2025
Or something more of a gradual to give us time to trim down.
—Mitch Light, The Athletic, 12 Feb. 2025
Four Senate Republicans, all women, broke with their party and voted with Democrats in favor of the gradual phase-out, which failed on a 22 to 14 vote.
—Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 15 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gradual
Cite this Entry
“Gradual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gradual. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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