progress
23 synonyms and 2 antonyms for progress, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — Forward movement or development toward a goal.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
How to use progress
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Latin progressus, "an advance," from progredi, "to go forward" — pro- ("forward") plus gradi ("to walk, go").
Full origin of progress →Frequently asked questions
What does “progress” mean?
The word “progress” means forward movement or development toward a goal. In plain terms, moving forward, developing, or improving over time.
How do you pronounce “progress”?
“Progress” is pronounced PROH-grehs (/ˈpɹɑ.ɡɹɛs/ in IPA).
How do you use “progress” in a sentence?
Here is “progress” used in a sentence: “She made real progress in her recovery this month.”
What is the opposite of “progress”?
The opposite of “progress” — its antonyms — are regress and retrogress.
What part of speech is “progress”?
Depending on how it is used, “progress” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “progress” come from?
The word “progress” comes from Latin. From Latin progressus, "an advance," from progredi, "to go forward" — pro- ("forward") plus gradi ("to walk, go").
Is “progress” a common word?
“Progress” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “progress” have?
“Progress” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: forward movement or development toward a goal.
What is the difference between progress and development?
The two overlap, but 'development' is the process of growing, changing, or becoming more advanced, whether or not it leads anywhere in particular. 'Progress' specifically means moving forward toward a goal or a better state. All progress involves development, but development can happen without clear progress if it does not improve things.
What is the opposite of progress?
The opposite is 'regression' or 'regress' — moving backward, away from a goal or to a worse state. 'Decline,' 'setback,' and 'deterioration' are close in meaning. 'Stagnation,' meanwhile, describes not the reverse of progress but its absence: standing still and making no forward movement at all.
Can progress be measured?
Yes. Progress is often tracked by comparing where things stand now with where they started or where they aim to be. People use milestones, targets, percentages, and deadlines to gauge it — for example, a project that is 'sixty percent complete.' Measuring progress helps show whether effort is actually moving things forward.