gradually better

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "gradually better" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation or condition that is improving over time, often in a progressive manner. Example: "After several weeks of treatment, her health is gradually better, and she is starting to regain her strength."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

Gradually better vines became available, and we learned which ones would do best".

The New York Times - Food

Gradually, better leadership replaced the Moderate party in the Church of Scotland.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Generation after generation, the children of immigrants are gradually better educated and more affluent than their parents.

The New York Times

He shadow boxed late into the night, working himself into a sweat, feeling gradually better with each jab and cross thrown.

The Guardian - Sport

For the most part, I'm afraid, you plead with the troika to make the austerity demands less severe, you do what you can to accelerate improving competitiveness (which isn't much), and you wait for things either to get gradually better via "internal devaluation" or to get worse and provide the economic and political environment in which euro exit becomes a real possibility.

The New York Times

Gradually better defences were brought in to defend the skies, but it was another year before the tide began to turn.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

He regarded the conflict with horror, as an "abyss of blood and darkness," a challenge to the most fundamental assumptions of "the whole long age during which we have supposed the world to be … gradually bettering".

The New Yorker

Through a repeated process of trial and criticism, the system doing the generation can improve its performance in unexpected ways, gradually bettering its attempts.

TechCrunch

The rebirth of the Marshall football program gradually got better and better.

The New York Times - Sports

The doctrine of progress teaches that things will gradually get better and better, notwithstanding a few setbacks.

The Guardian - Opinion

They gradually become better and better because they face real problems, and if they solve the problem they get real returns.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "gradually better", ensure the context clearly indicates what is improving and over what time frame. For example, "The software's performance became gradually better with each update."

Common error

Avoid using "gradually better" when a more significant or rapid improvement is intended. "Gradually" implies a slow, incremental change. If the change is substantial, consider using phrases like "significantly improved" or "rapidly enhanced".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "gradually better" functions as an adverb-adjective combination, where the adverb "gradually" modifies the adjective "better". This describes the manner in which something is improving. Ludwig AI confirms the usability of this phrase.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

18%

Wiki

11%

Less common in

Huffington Post

5%

EURASIP Journal on Image and Video Processing

5%

Forbes

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "gradually better" is a grammatically sound and usable expression to describe something improving incrementally over time. Ludwig's analysis of numerous sources confirms its validity, as well as its nature as an adverb-adjective combination which is mainly used to describe improvement that is slow and consistent. While it has a neutral register, its usage is more frequent in news and media and science writing. When using "gradually better", ensure that the context is clear and that you are referring to incremental and not significant improvements. If you want to highlight a faster change, it might be more appropriate to pick one of the many "alternative phrases".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

progressively improved

Replaces "gradually" with "progressively" and "better" with "improved", emphasizing continuous advancement.

improving over time

Focuses on the time aspect of the improvement, replacing "gradually" with "over time".

becoming better with time

Reorders the phrase to emphasize the role of time in the improvement process.

slowly improved

Substitutes "gradually" with "slowly", highlighting the pace of improvement.

showing gradual improvement

Transforms the phrase into a description of a process, emphasizing the gradual nature of the improvement.

steadily advancing

Replaces "gradually" and "better" with "steadily advancing", focusing on continuous forward movement.

ameliorating slowly

Uses "ameliorating" instead of "getting better" and "slowly" instead of "gradually", providing a more formal tone.

incrementally enhanced

Uses "incrementally" instead of "gradually" and "enhanced" instead of "better", suggesting small, regular improvements.

developing in a positive direction

Replaces the original phrase with a broader description of positive development.

evolving positively

Replaces the entire phrase with a more abstract description of positive development.

FAQs

How can I use "gradually better" in a sentence?

Use "gradually better" to describe a situation that is improving slowly over time, like: "After physical therapy, his mobility became "gradually better"".

What are some alternatives to the phrase "gradually better"?

You can use alternatives such as "slowly improving", "steadily advancing", or "progressively improved" depending on the context.

Is "gradually better" grammatically correct?

Yes, "gradually better" is grammatically correct. "Gradually" is an adverb modifying the adjective "better", indicating the manner in which something is improving.

How does "gradually better" differ from "suddenly better"?

"Gradually better" implies a slow, incremental improvement over time, while "suddenly better" indicates a rapid and unexpected improvement.