graduated
Americanadjective
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characterized by or arranged in degrees, especially successively, as according to height, depth, or difficulty.
a graduated series of lessons.
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marked with divisions or units of measurement.
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(of a bird's tail) having the longest feathers in the center, the others being successively shorter.
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(of a tax) increasing along with the taxable base.
a graduated income tax.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of graduated
Explanation
When something is graduated, it goes step-by-step or by degrees, such as a graduated income tax that has different tax rates for different levels of income. Fees for a fishing license might be graduated, depending on how big the fish you’re trying to catch is. If you're fishing for little porgies, the license might cost $3, but if you're going for a shark, the fee might be $50. A measuring cup is a graduated container — it has lines on the side that mark out divisions, in this case, ¼ cup, ½ cup, and so on.
Vocabulary lists containing graduated
100 SAT Words Beginning with "G"
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Theodore Roosevelt on "New Nationalism" (1910)
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Scientific Investigation and Reasoning
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Graduated driver licensing, which is due to be introduced on 1 October, applies to all new drivers, but is particularly aimed at 17 to 23-year-olds.
From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026
Graduated soldiers report to their units for a short 12- to 18-month enlistment.
From Washington Post • Sep. 27, 2022
Education: Graduated magna cum laude with economics degree from Harvard University in 1976 and earned a Ph.D. in economics from MIT in 1981.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 20, 2021
Graduated from: The University of Michigan with a degree in literature and history.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 20, 2019
“He once went from As to Cs,” Mrs. Murray says, “but he turned it around. Now look at him. Graduated from Markham with honors.”
From "On the Come Up" by Angie Thomas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
