gradually meaning

gradually means 'slowly over time'.

gradually :

slowly, step by step

adverb

▪ The weather gradually got warmer.

▪ The weather slowly got warmer.

▪ She gradually learned to play the piano.

▪ She slowly learned to play the piano.

paraphrasing

▪ slowly – step by step

▪ progressively – bit by bit

▪ steadily – continuously

▪ little by little – slowly over time

gradually

Pronunciation

gradually [ˈɡrædʒ.u.ə.li]

The stress is on 'grad' and sounds like 'grad-yoo-uh-lee'.

Common phrases and grammar about gradually

gradually - Common meaning

adverb
slowly, step by step

Part of Speech Changes for "gradually"

▪ gradual (adjective) – happening slowly over time

▪ gradation (noun) – a series of gradual changes

Common Expressions with "gradually"

▪ change gradually – change slowly

▪ increase gradually – increase slowly

▪ learn gradually – learn step by step

▪ improve gradually – improve little by little

Important examples of gradually in TOEIC

Vocabulary examples from the TOEIC test

In TOEIC vocabulary questions, gradually often describes how something changes over time.

▪The project gradually progressed over the months.
▪The project slowly moved forward over the months.

Example of a confusing word: suddenly (quickly and unexpectedly)

▪The project suddenly progressed over the months.
▪The project quickly advanced over the months.
"Gradually" means "slowly" or "in small stages," indicating a process that takes place over a period of time. It is used correctly in the sentence to show a slow progression. "Suddenly," on the other hand, means "quickly and unexpectedly," which contradicts the idea of a gradual process. The sentence "The project suddenly progressed over the months" is logically inconsistent, as "suddenly" implies an abrupt change, not one that occurs over months. Therefore, "gradually" is the correct choice.

Grammar examples from the TOEIC test

Gradually is used to describe actions or changes that happen over time, often appearing in grammar questions to test adverb usage.

▪The noise gradually decreased.
▪The noise slowly went down.

gradually

Idioms and fixed expressions in TOEIC

gradually increase

'slowly get bigger', used to describe growth or expansion over time.

▪The sales gradually increased over the year.
▪The sales slowly got bigger over the year.

gradually fade away

means 'to slowly disappear', often used to describe something losing strength or presence.

▪The music gradually faded away.
▪The music slowly disappeared.

Differences between similar words and gradually

gradually

,

slowly

differences

Gradually implies a step-by-step process over time, while slowly simply indicates a lack of speed.

gradually
▪The plant grew gradually over the year.
▪The plant grew step by step over the year.
slowly
▪He walked slowly to the store.
▪He walked without hurry to the store.
gradually

Words with the same origin as gradually

The origin of gradually

The word's etymology is not clear.

Word structure

The analysis of the word's composition is unclear.

Words with the same origin

The word's root is unclear or difficult to confirm.

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