progress

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   Steady movement toward a goal or a better, more developed state.

   Grammar: No plural and no 'a': make progress, not 'make a progress'.

   Patterns

   • make progress in something
   • progress toward something
   • progress on something

   The class made good progress in reading this term.

   Scientists reported slow progress toward a cure.

   Progress on the new bridge has been delayed by rain.

2. 2verbintransitive

   To move forward or develop gradually over time, or to advance to a later stage.

   Grammar: No object; often followed by to or with: progress to the next level. The verb stresses the second syllable.

   Patterns

   • progress to something
   • progress with something

   The patient progressed well after surgery.

   Students progress to the advanced course once they pass the exam.

   As the evening progressed, the music grew louder.

Word forms

Common combinations

make progress

We are making progress on the report.

in progress

Work is still in progress.

steady progress

She showed steady progress all year.

progress report

Please send a progress report on Friday.

slow progress

Traffic made slow progress through town.

Synonyms and how they differ

advancement

Advancement often means moving up in rank or status, while progress is more general forward movement.

headway

Headway is informal and suggests getting forward despite resistance.

development

Development describes growth or change over time and need not be an improvement.

improvement

Improvement focuses on getting better, while progress focuses on moving toward a goal.

Opposites

Word family

progression noun

a gradual series of steps or developments

progressive adjective

moving forward or favoring reform

progressively adverb

step by step, increasingly

Commonly confused: progress or progression?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “progress”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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