gradual.

Happening through small changes over time rather than all at once.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• gradual decline
• gradual transition

On the page

A gradual decline became clear only after several annual surveys.

Usage notes

Primary category: academic / formal. Forms: Comparative more gradual; superlative most gradual when comparison is meaningful. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: analysis, evaluation, qualification. Commonness: moderately common.