Standard Lemma guide

gradation

noun · verb · 12 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ɡɹəˈdeɪʃən/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: /ɡɹəˈdeɪʃən/
  • General-American: /ˌɡɹeɪˈdeɪʃən/
  • rhymes with -eɪʃən
  • CMU ARPABET: G R EY0 D EY1 SH AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A sequence of gradual, successive stages; a systematic progression.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A passing by small degrees from one tone or shade, as of color, to another.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: nuance

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The act of gradating or arranging in grades.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

Any degree or relative position in an order or series.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A calibration marking.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

A gradual change within one parameter, or an overlapping of two blocks of sound.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

A diatonic succession of chords.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

Ablaut.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, phonetics, phonology, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

To form with gradations.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

the act of arranging in grades

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: graduation

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: quantification

Narrower terms: shading, blending

11

noun

Meaning 11

a degree of ablaut

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: grade

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: ablaut

12

noun

Meaning 12

relative position in a graded series

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • always a step behind
  • subtle gradations in color
  • keep in step with the fashions

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: step

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: rank

Narrower terms: cut

History

Etymology

Borrowed from French gradation. By surface analysis, grade + -ation.

Across languages

Translations

20 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: градация (gradacija) — a sequence of gradual, successive stages; a systematic progression
  • Bulgarian: степенуване (stepenuvane) — a sequence of gradual, successive stages; a systematic progression
  • Finnish: porrastus — a sequence of gradual, successive stages; a systematic progression
  • German: Abstufung — a sequence of gradual, successive stages; a systematic progression
  • Latin: gradatio — a sequence of gradual, successive stages; a systematic progression
  • Portuguese: gradação — a sequence of gradual, successive stages; a systematic progression
  • Romanian: gradare — a sequence of gradual, successive stages; a systematic progression
  • Russian: после́довательность (poslédovatelʹnostʹ) — a sequence of gradual, successive stages; a systematic progression
  • Slovak: gradácia — a sequence of gradual, successive stages; a systematic progression
  • Bulgarian: градация (gradacija) — a passing by small degrees from one tone or shade, as of color, to another
  • Finnish: liukuväri — a passing by small degrees from one tone or shade, as of color, to another
  • Polish: gradacja — a passing by small degrees from one tone or shade, as of color, to another
  • Russian: перехо́д (perexód) — a passing by small degrees from one tone or shade, as of color, to another
  • Bulgarian: градация (gradacija) — the act of gradating or arranging in grades
  • Finnish: porrastaminen — the act of gradating or arranging in grades
  • Polish: gradacja — the act of gradating or arranging in grades
  • Romanian: gradare — the act of gradating or arranging in grades
  • Bulgarian: градуировка (graduirovka) — a calibration marking
  • Finnish: mittaviiva — a calibration marking
  • Romanian: gradație — a calibration marking