progress
B2Formal, neutral
Definition
Meaning
Movement towards a destination, goal, or more advanced or improved state.
The process of gradually developing or improving over a period of time; the forward movement in time of a sequence of events.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
As a noun, it is most commonly used to denote positive development. As a verb, it simply means 'to move forward' and can be used for positive, negative, or neutral processes. Stylistically, the verb form is often used in formal, professional, or technical contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Pronunciation differs; also, in UK English, the verb is commonly pronounced /prəˈɡres/ while the noun is /ˈprəʊɡres/. In US English, the verb is /prəˈɡres/ and the noun is /ˈprɑː.ɡres/ or /ˈprɑː.ɡrəs/.
Connotations
Both share strong connotations of positive development, though the verb is more procedural.
Frequency
The noun is extremely common in both varieties. The verb is used frequently in business, academic, and formal reporting contexts in both, but the American /ˈprɑː.ɡres/ for the noun is overwhelmingly dominant in the US.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
to make progress (on/with something)to progress (from X) to Yto progress (with something)progress in/on somethingprogress towards somethingVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “work in progress”
- “progress report”
- “a step in the right direction (related concept)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to discuss project milestones, sales targets, or strategic goals. 'We need to accelerate progress on the Q2 deliverables.'
Academic
Refers to a student's learning or a researcher's work. 'The thesis is showing good progress.'
Everyday
Used for personal goals, travel, or repairs. 'The traffic is heavy, so we're not making much progress.'
Technical
Describes the advancement of a process, algorithm, or treatment. 'The download progress bar reached 75%.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The meeting progressed smoothly after the initial disagreement.
- Patients typically progress from liquid to solid foods after this surgery.
American English
- The construction project is progressing ahead of schedule.
- As the disease progressed, new symptoms appeared.
adverb
British English
- Not commonly used as an adverb. 'Progressively' is the related form.
American English
- Not commonly used as an adverb. 'Progressively' is the related form.
adjective
British English
- A progress report is due at the end of the week.
- The progress chart shows we are on target.
American English
- The progress update was sent to all stakeholders.
- We held a progress review meeting yesterday.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- She is making good progress with her English.
- The bus made slow progress in the snow.
- We will review the project's progress next Monday.
- The peace talks seem to be progressing well.
- Despite numerous obstacles, substantial progress has been made on the environmental bill.
- The tumour showed no signs of progressing during the trial period.
- The dissertation is a work in progress, but the theoretical framework is largely complete.
- Societal progress on such ingrained issues is often glacial and non-linear.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a PROfessional moving FORWARD with succeSS: PRO-GRESS.
Conceptual Metaphor
JOURNEY (we make progress along a path towards a destination), CONSTRUCTION/BUILDING (a work in progress), GROWTH (organic development).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'прогресс' for the verb 'to progress'; use 'продвигаться' or 'развиваться'.
- The English noun 'progress' is uncountable; do not say 'a progress'.
- In Russian, 'прогресс' is almost exclusively positive; the English verb can be neutral ('The disease progressed').
Common Mistakes
- Using 'a progress' (incorrect: *We made a good progress. Correct: We made good progress).
- Confusing pronunciation of noun and verb in British English.
- Using the verb too informally where 'go on', 'continue', or 'move forward' might be more natural.
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'progress' correctly as a NOUN?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, 'progress' is an uncountable noun. You cannot say 'a progress' or 'progresses'. You can say 'a lot of progress', 'some progress', 'great progress'.
'Progress' implies forward movement towards a goal, often with a sense of improvement over time. 'Advance' is more about moving forward in physical space or time, or a specific development (often sudden). 'Progress' is uncountable; 'advance' can be countable ('a major advance').
In British English, the noun is stressed on the first syllable: PRO-gress /ˈprəʊɡres/. The verb is stressed on the second syllable: pro-GRESS /prəˈɡres/. This is a classic stress-shift pair.
The noun almost always has a positive or neutral connotation. The verb, however, can be neutral or negative. For example, 'The fire progressed rapidly through the building' or 'The illness progressed despite treatment'.
Collections
Part of a collection
Science and Technology
B1 · 47 words · Basic scientific concepts and modern technology.
Workplace Vocabulary
B1 · 48 words · Professional language for the working environment.