Synonyms

gradually

American

[graj-oo-uh-lee] / ˈgrædʒ u ə li /

adverb

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Over time, however, the effort required for that option gradually increased, while the low-reward lever remained unchanged.

From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026

The attackers appeared to have moved through interconnected systems, computers and phones, gradually piecing together a detailed picture of the museum's operations, Corriere reported.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

The county is gradually moving workers into the 55-story skyscraper at the base of Bunker Hill that was widely considered one of the city’s most desirable office buildings when it was completed in 1991.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

Some Germans can retire as young as 63, although for others the age is gradually increasing to 67 in coming years.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

Slowly, gradually, power returned to her arms, then her legs, and then she sat up and hugged her son.

From "The Wild Robot Escapes" by Peter Brown

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023