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to gradate

to gradate

1 8.6
To change slowly from one color or shade to another
  • verb
  • /ˈɡreɪdeɪt/
: gradar
  • The colors in this tapestry gradate from deep blue to pale pink.

Examples

  • The artist chose to gradate the colors in her painting.

  • When mixing watercolors, the hues gradate softly across the paper.

  • Sunset skies often gradate from gold to violet in a beautiful display.

  • He gradated the shades from light to dark.

  • The artist used various colors to gradate the sunset from orange to deep purple.

  • The designer chose to gradate the fabric's colors for a smooth transition in her dress.

  • In painting, it's crucial to gradate the tones carefully to create depth and realism.

Synonyms

to shade
vsto gradate
10 3.9

To change something a little to make it less strong

describes a continuous passage between degrees or tones rather than a small adjustment

How Gradual

to gradate
1 8.6
transition
449 3.7
shift
363 3.5
to change
∞ 1.0
to switch
756 2.0

Surface Forms

gradate infinitive
gradated past
gradated past participle
graduating present participle
gradates third person singular

Morphology

gradate = grade (transparent) = grad + ate

The verb is readily interpretable as derived from the notion of 'grade' (level/degree) plus the verb-forming suffix '-ate'.

Etymology

Gradate comes from the Latin gradus, which means 'step', and is the same root as grade and graduate. Think of a staircase: to gradate colors is to change by small 'steps' from one shade to another, so the change is slow and smooth.