1
Core quality
Following or arranged in a particular order, with one step, event, or item after another.
Example
The experiment consists of four sequential stages.
sequential
/sɪˈkwenʃəl/ · sih-KWEN-shuladjective
Following or arranged in a particular order, with one step, event, or item after another.
Use sequential to express this relationship precisely: following or arranged in a particular order, with one step, event, or item after another.
What sequential Really Means
The word becomes easier to use when its closely related senses are separated and compared.
2
Attributive or predicative use
Use this adjective before a suitable noun or after a linking verb such as be or seem.
Example
Images were numbered in sequential order.
3
Analytical distinction
Choose it when this exact descriptive quality matters; a related word may overlap without conveying the same trait.
Example
Sequential scans documented the tumour's growth.
Use sequential Naturally
Notice how the surrounding noun or clause reveals the exact shade of meaning.
The experiment consists of four sequential stages.
Images were numbered in sequential order.
Sequential scans documented the tumour's growth.
Precision Matters
Sequential overlaps with several common words, but each carries a different emphasis.
sequential
vs.Means following or arranged in a particular order, with one step, event, or item after another.
subsequent
Means coming after something else in time or order.
sequential
vs.Means following or arranged in a particular order, with one step, event, or item after another.
cumulative
Means formed, increased, or measured through successive additions over time.
sequential
vs.Means following or arranged in a particular order, with one step, event, or item after another.
haphazard
Means random, disorganised, and lacking a deliberate method.
sequential
vs.Means following or arranged in a particular order, with one step, event, or item after another.
systematic
Means done according to an organized, consistent, and methodical plan or procedure.
Test sequential in Context
The steps must follow one another in a fixed progression.
1
Because each calculation uses the result of the previous one, the steps must be completed in ___ order.