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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.

If the deal is approved by members, the union said UC would gradually raise the lowest-paid workers to an hourly wage of $30.10 by 2029.

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026

Scientists say the Southern Ocean storm track has gradually shifted closer to Antarctica over time, and this larger shift is now influencing the island's weather.

From Science Daily • May 14, 2026

She announced in January 2025 that she was in remission from cancer, and has been gradually returning to public royal duties.

From Barron's • May 13, 2026

The IEA’s base-case scenario assumes flows through Hormuz will gradually resume from June, with demand growth returning to positive territory only in August and then hovering around 2025 levels for the remainder of the year.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026

Belet licked her lips and gradually opened her eyes.

From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda

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.