progress
PROH-grehs
Progress (noun) means Forward movement or development toward a goal. Example: “Thanks to daily practice, the children are making steady progress in reading.”
noun
1
Forward movement or development toward a goal.
"Thanks to daily practice, the children are making steady progress in reading."
"She made real progress in her recovery this month."
"The project is behind schedule but progress is being made."
verb
1
To move forward or develop over time.
"As the evening progressed, the room grew warmer and noisier."
"Students progress to the next level once they pass the final test."
"The disease progressed rapidly despite treatment."
How to use progress
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMoving forward, developing, or improving over time.
Common mistake
Noun stress falls on the first syllable (PRO-gress); the verb sometimes shifts stress slightly in careful speech, though many speakers use the same stress for both.
Common pairings
make progress
progress report
work in progress
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Word forms
- Plural
- progresses
- Third person singular
- progresses
- Past tense
- progressed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Thanks to daily practice, the children are making steady _____ in reading.
Etymology
From Latin progressus, "an advance," from progredi, "to go forward" — pro- ("forward") plus gradi ("to walk, go").
Synonyms
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advancement
development
improvement
headway
growth
advance
momentum
build
progression
procession
go on
get on
Antonyms
Related words
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.
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