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
The onset is gradual enough to mask how serious it’s become, and family members often start compensating long before the person recognizes there’s a problem.
—
Allison Palmer,
Miami Herald,
1 July 2026
Establishing that benchmark before problems appear is especially useful given how gradual hearing loss tends to be.
—
Allison Palmer,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 July 2026
Still, the underlying assumption – or, at least, the hope – behind the tripartite framework is that by creating a gradual process, and demonstrating that each small step forward can work, both sides will have an interest in going further.
—
Ned Temko,
Christian Science Monitor,
1 July 2026
Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera, who led the effort, had reached a compromise to allow for a gradual phase-in for amusement parks, hotels and major event centers like Petco Park.
—
Phillip Molnar,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for gradual
Allison Palmer,
Miami Herald,
1 July 2026
Establishing that benchmark before problems appear is especially useful given how gradual hearing loss tends to be.
—
Allison Palmer,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 July 2026
Still, the underlying assumption – or, at least, the hope – behind the tripartite framework is that by creating a gradual process, and demonstrating that each small step forward can work, both sides will have an interest in going further.
—
Ned Temko,
Christian Science Monitor,
1 July 2026
Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera, who led the effort, had reached a compromise to allow for a gradual phase-in for amusement parks, hotels and major event centers like Petco Park.
—
Phillip Molnar,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for gradual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gradual
Adjective
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But thanks to recent incremental licensing changes — and the determination of a few entrepreneurs — the city’s wine scene has slowly matured.
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The expectation is not incremental productivity gains, but measurable impact.
Adjective
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The deal envisions Lebanese army control over phased Israeli pullback zones and tighter limits on foreign funding for armed groups.
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In exchange, Iran received phased relief from international economic sanctions.
Cite this Entry
“Gradual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gradual. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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