gradual

Adjective complement with noun phrase

• make: Make the change gradual in any order you wish.

Infinitive complement

• avoid: All Shadings to be gradual to avoid blotches or streaks.

Modifies a noun

• deterioration: The sparks come from the gradual deterioration of a friendship on screen.
• decline: Long periods were spent trying to arrest the gradual decline.
• erosion: To listen to her music is to bear witness to a gradual erosion of personality.
• ascent: We begin with a gradual ascent of the Santa Cruz valley.
• build-up: The walls of the coronary arteries may have become narrowed by a gradual build-up of fatty material.

Modifying Another Word

• very: Outside the South East of Britain, a very gradual assimilation of Roman material culture was the norm.
• usually: Symptoms: The onset is usually gradual which may be attributed to increasing age that may affect all body functions: - Weakness.
• so: The weight gain is so gradual that we hardly notice the change.
• not: If the introductory process is not gradual, the hearing aid may be rejected.
• too: That mysterious change is too subtle and too gradual to be measured by dates.
• quite: Even tho there were some big changes it was all quite gradual and it was all quite smooth.

Preposition: in

• onset: Noise Noise-induced hearing loss is usually gradual in onset and can be prevented by wearing appropriate ear protection.
• order: Make the change gradual in any order you wish.