Gradual
Definition, Meaning & Examples
Pronunciation /ˈɡɹadʒuəl/ · Part of speech adjective
Quick meaning: Gradual is an adjective meaning Proceeding or advancing by small, slow, regular steps or degrees.
Meaning
Proceeding or advancing by small, slow, regular steps or degrees.
More Meanings
- (Christianity) A service book containing the musical portions of the Mass.
- (Christianity) An antiphon or responsory after the epistle, in the Mass, which was sung on the steps, or while the deacon ascended the steps.
Example Sentences
a gradual increase of knowledge; a gradual decline
Creatures animate with gradual life / Of growth, sense, reason, all summed up in man.
Word Forms
- graduall
- graduals
Synonyms for gradual
Depending on context, synonyms include stepwise, incremental, piecemeal, piecewise, slow, easy.
Antonyms for gradual
Common opposites include sudden, abrupt, steep.
Related Words
Related dictionary entries include stepwise, gradational, piecemeal, sloping, step-by-step, easy.
Commonly Confused & Compared Words
Related Dictionary Tools
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.