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View synonyms for progress

progress

[ noun prog-res, -ruhsor, especially British, proh-gres; verb pruh-gres ]

noun

  1. a movement toward a goal or to a further or higher stage:

    the progress of a student toward a degree.

    Synonyms: progression, advance

    Antonyms: regression

  2. developmental activity in science, technology, etc., especially with reference to the commercial opportunities created thereby or to the promotion of the material well-being of the public through the goods, techniques, or facilities created.
  3. advancement in general.
  4. growth or development; continuous improvement:

    He shows progress in his muscular coordination.

    Synonyms: betterment, increase

  5. the development of an individual or society in a direction considered more beneficial than and superior to the previous level.
  6. Biology. increasing differentiation and perfection in the course of ontogeny or phylogeny.
  7. forward or onward movement:

    the progress of the planets.

  8. the forward course of action, events, time, etc.
  9. an official journey or tour, as by a sovereign or dignitary.


verb (used without object)

  1. to go forward or onward in space or time:

    The wagon train progressed through the valley. As the play progressed, the leading man grew more inaudible.

  2. to grow or develop, as in complexity, scope, or severity; advance:

    Are you progressing in your piano studies? The disease progressed slowly.

    Synonyms: increase, grow, improve, develop, proceed

    Antonyms: regress

progress

noun

  1. movement forwards, esp towards a place or objective
  2. satisfactory development, growth, or advance

    she is making progress in maths

  3. advance towards completion, maturity, or perfection

    the steady onward march of progress

  4. modifier of or relating to progress

    a progress report

  5. biology increasing complexity, adaptation, etc, during the development of an individual or evolution of a group
  6. a stately royal journey
  7. in progress
    in progress taking place; under way


verb

  1. intr to move forwards or onwards, as towards a place or objective
  2. to move towards or bring nearer to completion, maturity, or perfection

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Other Words From

  • unpro·gressed adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of progress1

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English progresse (noun), from Latin prōgressus “a going forward,” equivalent to prōgred-, stem of prōgredī “to advance” ( prō- “advancing, projecting forward” + -gredī, combining form of gradī “to step”; pro- 1, grade ) + -tus suffix of verb action

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Word History and Origins

Origin of progress1

C15: from Latin prōgressus a going forwards, from prōgredī to advance, from pro- 1+ gradī to step

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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. in progress, going on; under way; being done; happening:

    The meeting was already in progress.

More idioms and phrases containing progress

see in progress .

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Example Sentences

Tractable problems are ones where we can actually make progress right now.

From Vox

It’s a core demand for justice, and the fact that the system does not work that way makes it exceptionally difficult to make enduring progress on any economic, racial, or environmental justice topic.

From Vox

This is the same arrangement lawmakers have worked under for more than a month without any progress.

An arbitration panel found in July that Bridgewater had brought a theft of trade secrets case against the pair under false pretenses to slow down their progress.

From Fortune

Other trends highlighted in the report hint that progress may be on the horizon.

From Fortune

France 24 is providing live, round-the-clock coverage of both scenes as they progress.

But the inability to measure progress in the ISIS campaign is widespread.

With that, there is no means to consistently measure progress.

We are committed to the community, dedicated to progress, and policing with respect.

The fact that many African Americans fear the police more than our white counterparts says our nation is still a work in progress.

Progress: an old term for the travelling of the sovereign to different parts of his country.

She must be freed through the progress of Liberal ideas in France and Germany—not by her own inherent energies.

A cricket-match was in progress, but the bowling and batting were extremely wild, thanks to The Warren strong beer.

It was wonderful what progress in understanding and speaking English Ramona had made in these six months.

The report to the end of 1883 stated that during the year the progress of the school had been of an encouraging character.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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