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Definitions

gradually

[graj-oo-uh-lee] / ˈgrædʒ u ə li /
ADVERB
happening slowly, evenly
Synonyms
STRONGEST
constantly continuously deliberately gently increasingly moderately progressively regularly steadily
WEAK
bit by bit by degrees by installments imperceptibly in small doses inch by inch little by little perceptibly piece by piece piecemeal sequentially serially step by step successively unhurriedly
Antonyms
WEAK
abruptly fastly intermittently suddenly

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.

For example, a target-date fund pegged to the year 2065 would start with more aggressive investments and gradually shift to lower-risk options over time as the investor nears retirement.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026

Instead of taking millions of years for a single layer, dolomite can gradually build up in far shorter intervals.

From Science Daily • Apr. 20, 2026

However, the stock is gradually climbing the “wall of worry.”

From Barron's • Apr. 20, 2026

Mahdi told me: "When people talk, they share information gradually, they leave things out and they get distracted."

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026

And then someone would start talking, someone else would chime in, and the quiet of the barn would gradually be overtaken by conversations like these.

From "The Wild Robot Escapes" by Peter Brown