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.

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Other Word Forms

• ungradually adverb

Etymology

Origin of gradually

gradual ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

The city of Neenah recently purchased a large plot of land that it is gradually selling to a developer as new houses are built, to help the developer manage the expense of construction.

From The Wall Street Journal

Lotus took mail-order requests to accommodate Americans who had tried the cookies on a flight and wanted to have them at home, and gradually moved into U.S. stores.

From The Wall Street Journal

The condition can start in early childhood, and gradually worsens with age.

From BBC

That wind, along with intense radiation, gradually strips material away from the smaller object.

From Science Daily

Australia's number one spinner Lyon has seen the number of overs he has bowled in home series gradually fall.

From BBC

Related Words

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