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Synonyms

sequential

American  
[si-kwen-shuhl] / sɪˈkwɛn ʃəl /

adjective

  1. characterized by regular sequence of parts.

  2. following; subsequent; consequent.

  3. Business. by comparison with the immediately preceding period, usually a fiscal quarter.

    a sequential increase in gross profit.


sequential British  
/ sɪˈkwɛnʃəl, sɪˌkwɛnʃɪˈælɪtɪ /

adjective

  1. characterized by or having a regular sequence

  2. another word for sequent

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of sequential

First recorded in 1815–25; sequent + -ial

Explanation

Use the word sequential to describe something that has a particular order, like a recipe for chocolate chip cookies whose steps must be followed in a sequential order. If you make a list of things you need to do, starting with number 1 and continuing until all your tasks are accounted for, then you’ve made a sequential list. Something that is sequential often follows a numerical or alphabetical order, but it can also describe things that aren’t numbered but still need to take place in a logical order, such as the sequential steps you follow for running a program on your computer.

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Vocabulary lists containing sequential

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.

Ramaswamy said Snowflake delivered a “milestone quarter,” as product revenue marked “the strongest sequential dollar growth in our history.”

From MarketWatch • May 28, 2026

Ramaswamy said Snowflake delivered a “milestone quarter,” as product revenue marked “the strongest sequential dollar growth in our history.”

From MarketWatch • May 27, 2026

The company guided for 2Q revenue at 850-900 million yuan, implying on-year growth of 20% to 27% and meaningful sequential acceleration, they say.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026

On a sequential basis, underlying Ebitda increased 6%, driven by the specialty polymers, Novecare and composite materials businesses.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026

Lawrence had decreed that the electrical field that delivered the sequential jolts to the spiraling protons should be present only in the gap between the two dees.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

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