Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
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

Derived 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.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

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.

Food inflation likely edged higher, although average daily food prices of major items showed only a slight sequential rise in prices, said economist Dhiraj Nim.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

“The subsidy-driven competitive pressure is easing materially,” as indicated by the sharp sequential narrowing in the segment’s 1Q operating loss, they write.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 2026

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

From MarketWatch • May 28, 2026

Management expects softness in the Canadian market in early 2Q, even though March and April showed sequential improvement in used vehicle profitability trends.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026

The list of all such sequential orderings is below, with the number 1 representing, as before, the suitor Myrtle would most prefer, 2 her second choice, etc.

From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "sequential" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com