as in incremental
proceeding or changing by steps or degrees a gradual drop in gas prices will take place over the next several months

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of gradual Behind this city’s gradual revival Belvidere’s turnaround preceded the Trump administration. Laurent Belsie, Christian Science Monitor, 19 May 2025 In the report, CEO Andrew Lo described 2024 as a year of gradual recovery amidst geopolitical and macroeconomic challenges. Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 19 May 2025 Matcha may give you a more gradual, sustained energy boost.1 Matcha doesn’t have the same excitable effect as coffee. Isabel Vasquez Rd Ldn, Health, 15 May 2025 Population shifts would be relatively gradual changes, Ciccarone said, but the sharp downturn suggests that there must have been some shock to the system. Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 14 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for gradual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gradual
incremental
Adjective
  • Organizations should be doing a large number of innovations that amount to continuous improvement each year—incremental, reasonably assured of success, and relatively affordable.
    Michael B. Horn, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
  • But his gains in lifting the working class and poor were incremental, and his administration was plagued by persistent missteps.
    Billy Witz, New York Times, 21 May 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gradual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gradual. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on gradual

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!