sequential
Americanadjective
-
characterized by regular sequence of parts.
-
Business. by comparison with the immediately preceding period, usually a fiscal quarter.
a sequential increase in gross profit.
adjective
-
characterized by or having a regular sequence
-
another word for sequent
Other Word Forms
- nonsequential adjective
- nonsequentiality noun
- sequentiality noun
- sequentially adverb
- unsequential adjective
Etymology
Origin of sequential
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.
Vocabulary lists containing sequential
TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
100 SAT words Beginning with "S"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Expository Writing, List 2
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
That other Greek concept is chronos, which refers to chronological or sequential time and is quantitative.
From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026
Its food-delivery segment’s unit economics demonstrated decent sequential improvement in 4Q despite intense competition, and could further improve in 1Q, the analysts say.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026
Oppenheimer’s Rick Schafer models 30% sequential growth there, versus 25% growth in the fiscal fourth quarter.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 3, 2026
D-Wave closed $13.4 million in bookings for the fourth quarter, a 471% sequential increase.
From Barron's • Feb. 26, 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
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.
