gradient
noun
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Any slope can be called a gradient. In the interstate highway system, the maximum gradient is 6 percent; in other words, the highway may never ascend more than 6 vertical feet over a distance of 100 feet. Any rate of change that's shown on a graph may have a sloped gradient. Suppose the graph's horizontal axis shows the passage of time and its vertical axis shows some activity; if the activity is happening very fast, then the gradient of the line on the graph will be steep, but if it's slow the gradient will be gentle, or gradual.
Examples of gradient in a Sentence
New Atlas, 29 May 2025
Atari’s second band design features a classic blocky-style colour gradient.
—Andrew Williams, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
Or add to the artistic feeling by making a gradient with the tiles, starting with darkest color on the bottom and the lightest at the top.
—Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Mar. 2025
University of South Alabama meteorologist Jordan McLeod also pointed out that there was a particularly strong pressure gradient at upper levels in the region that could have possibly mixed downward in what meteorologists refer to as a dry slot.
—Marshall Shepherd, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for gradient
Cite this Entry
“Gradient.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gradient. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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gradient
noun
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gradient
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