gradual
gb/ɡɹˈæd͡ʒuəl/ us/ɡɹˈæd͡ʒuəl/
B1
English
~ 6200
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B1
property
1
happening slowly over time
Happening slowly, with small changes over time, not suddenly.
Usage pattern:
a gradual [change/increase/decrease] in [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"a gradually change"* instead of *"a gradual change"*. Use **gradual** (adjective) before a noun (e.g., *a gradual improvement*) and **gradually** (adverb) before a verb (e.g., *things improved gradually*). Another mistake is using **gradual** when they only mean **slow** for one single action (e.g., *a slow walk* is more natural than *a gradual walk*; **gradual** usually involves change over time).
Synonyms
slow (More general; does not always suggest small step-by-step changes over time.)
|
steady (Emphasizes that the change is continuous and regular, not stopping and starting.)
|
progressive (Often used in more formal or technical contexts, especially for medical or social changes.)
Antonyms
sudden (Describes something that happens very quickly and unexpectedly, in one moment rather than over time.)
|
abrupt (Stresses that the change is very quick and may feel surprising or rude.)
Collocations
gradual change
|gradual increase
|gradual decrease
|gradual improvement
|gradual process
|gradual shift
Themes
daily life
|science
|work
|education
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- There has been a gradual increase in average temperatures over the last fifty years.
- Recovery from the illness was slow and gradual rather than dramatic.
- The company plans a gradual shift to renewable energy over the next decade.
- We noticed a gradual decrease in traffic after the new law was introduced.
- Language learning is a gradual process that requires regular practice.
Learner examples
- My progress in English is slow but gradual.
- There was a gradual change in the town after the new road opened.
- The pain did not stop suddenly; it was gradual.
- We saw a gradual increase in prices over the year.
- Losing weight should be a gradual process.
Noun
technical
C2
entity
2
liturgical chant or book
In Catholic church services, a special song after one reading and before the Gospel, or the book that has these songs.
Usage pattern:
the Gradual in the [Mass/service]
Synonyms
chant (A more general word for religious singing; does not specify the position in the Mass.)
Antonyms
silence (Contrasts the presence of a specific sung part of the service with having no music or spoken text there.)
Collocations
sing the Gradual
|chant the Gradual
|the Gradual of the Mass
|the Roman Gradual
Themes
religion
|music
|arts_entertainment
Examples
- The choir rehearsed the Gradual for the Easter Mass.
- In older liturgical books, the Gradual is printed between the Epistle and the Gospel.
- The new Roman Gradual includes updated musical settings for many chants.
Learner examples
- The choir will sing the Gradual during the service.
- He studied how the Gradual changed after the Second Vatican Council.
- This old book is a Gradual used in a Catholic church.
Grammar
Dictionary form
gradual
IPA
GB/ɡɹˈæd͡ʒuəl/
US/ɡɹˈæd͡ʒuəl/
Syllables & stress
gradu - al (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (gradu)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: gradual
Word family
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.