gradually

American  

[graj-oo-uh-lee] / ˈgrædʒ u ə li /

adverb

1. by small degrees or little by little.

   The hurricane moved northwestward to northward for two days, gradually weakened to a depression, and then turned eastward.

   Over the following decades, the curriculum was gradually expanded, with additional offerings in history, government, languages, geology, and geography.

---

Other Word Forms

• ungradually adverb

Etymology

Origin of gradually

gradual ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

Yet if the economy speeds up in 2026 as most economists predict, hiring is likely to improve gradually and jobs should be somewhat easier to find.

From MarketWatch

First introduced to England in the 1500s, the birds gradually gained in popularity to become a must on the dinner tables of London's wealthy.

From BBC

The most vigorous spending has come from the nation’s top 10% of earners, who have gradually come to account for nearly half of national spending.

From The Wall Street Journal

Financial worries have gradually taken over its list of employees’ biggest issues since inflation spiked, the job market stalled and the rise of AI threatens to disrupt how people work.

From MarketWatch

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu secured the backing of the Socialist party by agreeing to suspend Macron’s signature pension overhaul, which aimed to gradually increase the country’s retirement age to 64 from 62.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• constantly
• continuously
• deliberately
• gently
• increasingly
• moderately
• progressively
• regularly
• steadily