progress

American  

[prog-res, -ruhs, proh-gres, pruh-gres] / ˈprɒg rɛs, -rəs, ˈproʊ grɛs, prəˈgrɛs /

noun

progress plural

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.

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verb (used without object)

progresses, present (3rd person singular) progressed, past participle, past progressing present participle

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

idioms

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

   The meeting was already in progress.

progress British  

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. taking place; under way

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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

progress More Idioms  

1. see in progress.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unprogressed
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• progress
  plural

Participles

• progressing
  present
• progressed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• progress
  simple
• progresses
  simple
• have progressed
  perfect
• has progressed
  perfect
• am progressing
  progressive
• are progressing
  progressive
• is progressing
  progressive
• have been progressing
  perfect progressive
• has been progressing
  perfect progressive

Past

• progressed
  simple
• had progressed
  perfect
• was progressing
  progressive
• were progressing
  progressive
• had been progressing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will progress
  simple
• will have progressed
  perfect
• will be progressing
  progressive
• will have been progressing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of progress

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”; see pro- ¹, grade) + -tus suffix of verb action

Explanation

The process of advancement and the way things move in the positive direction of improvement is called progress. If you got a B on your last test and a B+ on this one, that's progress. If you're moving toward a goal, you're making progress too. On a long trip, it feels like you're barely making progress, but every hour you've driven another 60 miles towards your destination. Or, the news reported recent progress in peace talks between the two feuding nations. Have you ever heard someone say that you can't stop progress? That means that things keep advancing and getting more complicated. Place the accent on the second syllable if you use it as a verb. Let's progress to the next stage.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

progress progresses progressed progressing

"Emissions are gradually falling but progress stalled in 2024, and current policy settings are not delivering at the pace needed," Hendy said.

From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026

The novel’s great achievement lies in its language, which forces the reader into a cognitive apprenticeship before revealing the cost of what we call progress.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

“As soon as the ball was kicked, and the matches were in progress, that just completely pivoted to overwhelming positivity.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026

What he finds is a conflict pitting human progress, and its attenuating battle for power and domination, against nature.

From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026

Now that she sees all that progress evaporating, the seventh-grade president is afraid she’ll never have a chance to be eighth-grade president.

From "Linked" by Gordon Korman

Typically lenders release installments of the insurance funds as construction progresses.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026

As this harmful protein moves into new areas of the brain, the disease progresses, leading to worsening memory loss and cognitive decline.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 30, 2026

While it will hardly be chilly this weekend, many will feel the heatwave easing as the weekend progresses.

From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026

With about a one-year lag, this suggests investors should anticipate slower EPS growth beginning now and a much more noticeable decline in the pace of EPS growth as the year progresses.

From Barron's ● Jun. 26, 2026

Similar to other sequenced learning approaches, such as Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development or scaffolding, Gordon’s approach relies on a gradual increase in skill level difficulty as the student progresses.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

Asian equities pared gains as the trading day progressed, while Nasdaq futures dropped as chip makers that have driven market swings in recent days fell back.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

These particles may offer new biomarkers for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease and determining how far it has progressed.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 22, 2026

Additionally, England and France were put in opposite sides of the knockouts and on a path to meet either Spain or Argentina in the semi-finals if they all progressed.

From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026

Blake Snell, who also had loose bodies removed from his pitching elbow, progressed to throwing live batting practice on Saturday.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 11, 2026

When she progressed to squealing and shrieking, many of the men turned away, unable to take any more.

From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen

Yousif said prices and demand began easing shortly after US President Donald Trump announced last month that negotiations with Iran were progressing.

From Barron's ● Jul. 18, 2026

Rose said the project is still progressing toward initial construction and will announce timing “as key development, financing, and construction milestones are achieved.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026

Despite key growth projects progressing on schedule, the stock’s valuation remains demanding relative to the risks, RBC says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

Parallel to Byrd’s stirring public advocacy is a crucial personal thread: her nurturing of Shelly, whose progressing dementia requires regular supervision.

From Salon ● Jul. 10, 2026

Sometimes other hikers would come along and tell me where Katz was and how he was progressing, which was nearly always slowly but gamely.

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson

Related Words

• advance
• breakthrough
• development
• evolution
• growth
• headway
• improvement
• increase
• momentum
• movement
• pace
• process
• rise
• stride