What does gradually mean?

Definitions for gradually
grad·u·al·ly

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word gradually.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. gradually, bit by bit, step by stepadverb

    in a gradual manner

    "the snake moved gradually toward its victim"

Wiktionary

  1. graduallyadverb

    In a gradual manner; making slow progress; slowly.

  2. graduallyadverb

    by degrees

    Human reason doth not only gradually, but specifically, differ from the fantastic reason of brutes. uE000153948uE001 Grew.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Graduallyadverb

    By degrees; in regular progression.

    Etymology: from gradual.

    When the moon passes over the fixed stars, and eclipses them, your light vanishes; not gradually, like that of the planets, but all at once. Isaac Newton, Opt.

    The Author of our being weans us gradually from our fondness of life the nearer we approach towards the end of it. Jonathan Swift.

    Human creatures are able to bear air of much greater density in diving, and of much less upon the tops of mountains, provided the changes be made gradually. Arbuthnot.

ChatGPT

  1. gradually

    Gradually refers to the process of changing, moving, or developing in slow increments or degrees over time, rather than occurring all at once or instantly. It describes a pace that is progressive or step by step, and is often used to indicate subtle or controlled changes.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Graduallyadverb

    in a gradual manner

  2. Graduallyadverb

    in degree

British National Corpus

  1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'gradually' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #2799

  2. Written Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'gradually' in Written Corpus Frequency: #3053

  3. Adverbs Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'gradually' in Adverbs Frequency: #220

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

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Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of gradually in Chaldean Numerology is: 6

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of gradually in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of gradually in a Sentence

  1. Oskar Schindler:

    The persecution of Jews in occupied Poland meant that we could see horror emerging gradually in many ways. In 1939, they were forced to wear Jewish stars, and people were herded and shut up into ghettos. Then, in the years '41 and '42 there was plenty of public evidence of pure sadism. With people behaving like pigs, I felt the Jews were being destroyed. I had to help them. There was no choice.

  2. Lloyd Garrison:

    On this subject I do not which to think, or speak, or write, with moderation. No No Tell a man whose house is on fire to give a moderate alarm tell him to moderately rescue his wife from the hands of the ravisher tell the mother to gradually extricate her babe from the fire into which it has fallen but urge me not to use moderation in a cause like the present. I am in earnest I will not equivocate I will not retreat a single inch and I will be heard.

  3. Federal Reserve President James Bullard:

    My sense is that markets are well-prepared for a possible rate increase globally, and that this is not too surprising given our liftoff from December and the policy of the committee which has been to try to normalize rates slowly and gradually over time, so my ideal is that if all goes well this will come off very smoothly.

  4. Peter Lam:

    We would like to gradually step into the high-end market.

  5. Wu Hailong:

    Our efforts have produced major progress in our combat against torture, since 2014, public security authorities have comprehensively adopted the audio and video recording system for the entire process of interrogation of criminal suspects for major cases, and will gradually apply this system to all criminal cases.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

gradually#1#9033#10000

Translations for gradually

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"gradually." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 13 Feb. 2025. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/gradually>.

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    in or of the month preceding the present one
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