great leap forward: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal, Historical, Figurative
Quick answer
What does “great leap forward” mean?
A dramatic, ambitious, and often sudden advancement or sudden, rapid improvement.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A dramatic, ambitious, and often sudden advancement or sudden, rapid improvement.
1. A specific reference to Mao Zedong's disastrous economic campaign in China (1958–1962), often used as a historical caution. 2. (Figurative) Any major, rapid, and potentially disruptive attempt at significant progress in technology, business, or society.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Awareness of the historical reference may be slightly higher in UK education due to Commonwealth and modern history curricula.
Connotations
Both share the dual connotation of ambitious progress and potential catastrophe. The figurative use is equally understood in both dialects.
Frequency
Low frequency in both, but the figurative usage might appear slightly more in US business/tech journalism.
Grammar
How to Use “great leap forward” in a Sentence
[Subject] made a great leap forward in [field].[Event/Noun] marked a great leap forward.The [field] saw a great leap forward with [innovation].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “great leap forward” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The team aims to great-leap-forward their research this quarter. (Extremely rare, non-standard)
American English
- We need to great-leap-forward this project. (Extremely rare, non-standard)
adverb
British English
- The company moved great-leap-forward. (Virtually non-existent)
American English
- Progress happened great-leap-forward. (Virtually non-existent)
adjective
British English
- It was a great-leap-forward moment for the industry. (Rare, hyphenated attributive use)
American English
- They adopted a great-leap-forward strategy. (Rare, hyphenated attributive use)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
"The new AI integration represents a great leap forward for our operational efficiency." (Often used in PR and strategy.)
Academic
"The discovery of CRISPR was a great leap forward for genetic engineering." (Used in history, economics, and sciences.)
Everyday
"Getting that new job was a great leap forward for my career." (Rare in casual chat; more in reflective conversation.)
Technical
Rare in pure technical manuals. Appears in technical journalism or project milestone reviews.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “great leap forward”
Strong
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “great leap forward”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “great leap forward”
- Using it for minor, incremental progress (overstatement).
- Misspelling as 'Great Leap Forwards'.
- Using it in a purely positive way without awareness of its potentially critical/ironic tone.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Only when referring specifically to Mao Zedong's 1958-62 campaign. In figurative use, it is usually not capitalized: 'a great leap forward'.
Yes, but carefully. In business or tech contexts, it can be positive if referring to a genuine, successful breakthrough. However, informed listeners may still hear an echo of the risky historical precedent.
They are near synonyms. 'Quantum leap' originates from physics (an electron's discontinuous jump between energy levels) and emphasises a fundamental, discrete change. 'Great leap forward' carries stronger historical/political connotations and can imply a more concerted, programmatic effort.
No, it's relatively low-frequency. It appears more in written analysis, journalism, history, and formal business commentary than in casual conversation.
A dramatic, ambitious, and often sudden advancement or sudden, rapid improvement.
Great leap forward is usually formal, historical, figurative in register.
Great leap forward: in British English it is pronounced /ˌɡreɪt ˌliːp ˈfɔːwəd/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌɡreɪt ˌliːp ˈfɔːrwərd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Leapfrog (competition/technology)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a frog (LEAP) wearing a crown (GREAT) moving ahead of all others (FORWARD). Or, picture a historian pointing to a chart that spikes upwards then crashes, labelled 'China 1958'.
Conceptual Metaphor
PROGRESS IS A JOURNEY FORWARD (with a sudden, large bound). AMBITIOUS CHANGE IS A DANGEROUS LEAP.
Practice
Quiz
In which context might the phrase 'great leap forward' be used IRONICALLY or CRITICALLY?