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Meaning & use

forging ahead

verb·Advanced

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UK/ˈfɔː.dʒɪŋ əˈhed/
US/ˈfɔːr.dʒɪŋ əˈhed/

“forging ahead” is a form of “forge ahead”.

Meanings

  1. verbphrasal verb

    Moving forward steadily with a plan or task, often despite difficulty or opposition.

    Grammar: No object; often followed by with: forging ahead with the plan.

    Patterns

    • forge ahead with something
    • forge ahead despite something

    The company is forging ahead with its expansion plans despite the recession.

    She kept forging ahead, even when her friends told her to stop.

    Residents are forging ahead with plans for a new community garden.

  2. verbphrasal verb

    Moving into the lead, especially in a race or contest, through steady effort.

    Grammar: No object; often followed by a place or a comparison.

    Patterns

    • forge ahead of someone

    The runner was forging ahead of the pack in the last mile.

    Our team is forging ahead in the standings.

    The yacht kept forging ahead through the rough water.

Word forms

base formforge ahead
third person singularforges ahead
past tenseforged ahead
-ing formforging ahead

Common combinations

forging ahead with plans
They are forging ahead with plans for the festival.
forging ahead despite doubts
He is forging ahead despite doubts from his family.
keep forging ahead
We must keep forging ahead to finish on time.
forging ahead of rivals
The firm is forging ahead of its rivals.
forging ahead regardless
The builders are forging ahead regardless of the weather.

Synonyms and how they differ

pressing on
Pressing on stresses continuing in spite of difficulty, with less sense of making visible progress.
surging ahead
Surging ahead suggests a sudden, fast move into the lead, while forging ahead is steadier.
proceeding
Proceeding is more formal and neutral, with no suggestion of effort or determination.
advancing
Advancing is a general word for moving forward and fits armies and ideas as well as plans.

Opposites

falling behindholding back

Word family

forge verb
to move forward steadily, or to shape metal by heating
forger noun
someone who makes false copies
forgery noun
a fake document or artwork

Commonly confused: forging ahead or forging?

forging ahead vs forging

Forging also means making fake copies of documents, which is unrelated to forging ahead.

Practice

The council is ___ with the new library despite local objections.

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