graduated

American  

[graj-oo-ey-tid] / ˈgrædʒ uˌeɪ tɪd /

adjective

1. characterized by or arranged in degrees, especially successively, as according to height, depth, or difficulty.

   a graduated series of lessons.

2. marked with divisions or units of measurement.

3. (of a bird's tail) having the longest feathers in the center, the others being successively shorter.

4. (of a tax) increasing along with the taxable base.

   a graduated income tax.

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graduated Scientific  

/ grăj′o̅o̅-ā′tĭd /

1. Divided into or marked with intervals indicating measures, as of length, volume, or temperature.

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Other Word Forms

• nongraduated adjective
• overgraduated adjective
• ungraduated adjective

Etymology

Origin of graduated

First recorded in 1645–55; graduate + -ed ²

Example Sentences

She grew up in Massachusetts and graduated from Northeastern University.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

She graduated with a master's degree in French and Spanish last year.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

"We have a graduated set of options for responding," she said in a speech in Frankfurt, where the ECB has its headquarters.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

I was almost graduated from UC Irvine and I was studying English and comparative literature.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026

It’s one of the reasons why Brady left after he graduated from high school.

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman