DictionarygraduateGraded arrangement
verb

graduate

Arrange in successive degrees or levels.

The instructor graduates the exercises from easy stretches to demanding poses.

Etymology

The Latin ancestor concerns degrees or steps. To graduate a scale or sequence is to arrange or mark it in successive levels.

More examples

  • She graduates the beads by size before stringing the necklace.
  • The designer graduated the colors from pale blue to navy.
  • The course graduates its assignments from simple tasks to complex projects.

Forms

graduate · graduates · graduated · graduating

gradation noun — An arrangement in successive stages or degrees.

Similar words

grade
Usually sorts by quality or difficulty rather than gradual change.
rank
Places things in order of importance, quality, or achievement.