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Synonyms

sequential

American  
[si-kwen-shuhl] / sɪˈkwɛn ʃəl /

adjective

  1. characterized by regular sequence of parts.

  2. following; subsequent; consequent.

  3. Business. by comparison with the immediately preceding period, usually a fiscal quarter.

    a sequential increase in gross profit.


sequential British  
/ sɪˈkwɛnʃəl /

adjective

  1. characterized by or having a regular sequence

  2. another word for sequent

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms


Etymology

Origin of sequential

First recorded in 1815–25; sequent + -ial


Explanation

Use the word sequential to describe something that has a particular order, like a recipe for chocolate chip cookies whose steps must be followed in a sequential order. If you make a list of things you need to do, starting with number 1 and continuing until all your tasks are accounted for, then you’ve made a sequential list. Something that is sequential often follows a numerical or alphabetical order, but it can also describe things that aren’t numbered but still need to take place in a logical order, such as the sequential steps you follow for running a program on your computer.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing sequential

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.

See Examples For:

Although that demonstrated sequential growth of almost 50%, Anthropic had seen revenue grow almost 145% sequentially in the second quarter.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 15, 2026

Among the four banks at the top of the list with traditional deposit-gathering networks, JPMorgan Chase stands out with the highest expected sequential and year-over-year increases in net interest income.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 11, 2026

Vicor stock rose after the company raised its sequential revenue guidance.

From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026

Total viewership hours of series that charted on Netflix’s top 10 lists in July and August were down 17% year over year, with third-quarter numbers on track for a sequential decline, the analysts say.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026

Lawrence had decreed that the electrical field that delivered the sequential jolts to the spiraling protons should be present only in the gap between the two dees.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

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