めっきりmekkiri

1. adverb (with と)remarkably; noticeably; visibly; considerably; perceptibly; appreciably; very much
   めっきり寒さむくなった。↗

   It has become noticeably colder.

• SynonymメキメキNeutralFocuses on rapid, visible growth or progress, as in 「めきめき上達する」; mostly for positive change, while 「めっきり」 often describes decline or seasonal change.
• Antonym徐々にじょじょにNeutralStresses a slow, bit-by-bit process, whereas 「めっきり」 stresses how obvious the result is; they view change from different angles, so they are not strict antonyms.
• AntonymだんだんNeutralCommon in speech for 'gradually, more and more', as in 「だんだん寒くなる」; it focuses on the process of change, while 「めっきり」 focuses on how marked it is.
• Antonym次第にしだいにWrittenWritten/formal prose for a degree or state shifting little by little, as in 「次第に明らかになる」; it describes only the process, not a striking change like 「めっきり」.

Use 「めっきり」 for a change that is clearly visible, often a decline such as getting colder or aging, as in 「めっきり寒くなった」. For rapid progress choose 「めきめき」; for gradual change choose 「だんだん」, 「徐々に」, or the formal 「次第に」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. はっきりと目めに見みえて変かわるさま。著いちじるしく。