PROGRESS

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does progress mean? 

• PROGRESS (noun)
  The noun PROGRESS has 3 senses:

1. gradual improvement or growth or development

2. the act of moving forward (as toward a goal)

3. a movement forward

  Familiarity information: PROGRESS used as a noun is uncommon.

• PROGRESS (verb)
  The verb PROGRESS has 3 senses:

1. develop in a positive way

2. move forward, also in the metaphorical sense

3. form or accumulate steadily

  Familiarity information: PROGRESS used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PROGRESS (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Gradual improvement or growth or development

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

advancement; progress

Context example:

great progress in the arts

Hypernyms ("progress" is a kind of...):

development (act of improving by expanding or enlarging or refining)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "progress"):

stride (significant progress (especially in the phrase 'make strides'))

work flow; workflow (progress (or rate of progress) in work being done)

forwarding; furtherance; promotion (the advancement of some enterprise)

Derivation:

progress (develop in a positive way)

progress (form or accumulate steadily)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The act of moving forward (as toward a goal)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

advance; advancement; forward motion; onward motion; procession; progress; progression

Hypernyms ("progress" is a kind of...):

motion; move; movement (the act of changing location from one place to another)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "progress"):

push (an effort to advance)

career; life history (the general progression of your working or professional life)

march (a steady advance)

clear sailing; easy going; plain sailing (easy unobstructed progress)

leapfrog (advancing as if in the child's game, by leaping over obstacles or competitors)

Derivation:

progress (move forward, also in the metaphorical sense)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A movement forward

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

advance; progress; progression

Context example:

he listened for the progress of the troops

Hypernyms ("progress" is a kind of...):

change of location; travel (a movement through space that changes the location of something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "progress"):

head; headway (forward movement)

Derivation:

progress (move forward, also in the metaphorical sense)

• PROGRESS (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they progress ... he / she / it progresses   
Past simple: progressed   
Past participle: progressed   
-ing form: progressing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Develop in a positive way

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

advance; come along; come on; get along; get on; progress; shape up

Context example:

Plans are shaping up

Hypernyms (to "progress" is one way to...):

develop (grow, progress, unfold, or evolve through a process of evolution, natural growth, differentiation, or a conducive environment)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "progress"):

climb (improve one's social status)

leapfrog (progress by large jumps instead of small increments)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Antonym:

regress (get worse or fall back to a previous condition)

Derivation:

progress (gradual improvement or growth or development)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Move forward, also in the metaphorical sense

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

advance; go on; march on; move on; pass on; progress

Context example:

Time marches on

Hypernyms (to "progress" is one way to...):

go; locomote; move; travel (change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "progress"):

elapse; glide by; go along; go by; lapse; pass; slide by; slip away; slip by (pass by)

rachet up; ratchet; ratchet down (move by degrees in one direction only)

edge; inch (advance slowly, as if by inches)

close in; draw in (advance or converge on)

overhaul; overtake; pass (travel past)

string; string along (move or come along)

plough on; press on; push on (continue moving forward)

encroach; impinge; infringe (advance beyond the usual limit)

creep up; sneak up (advance stealthily or unnoticed)

penetrate (make one's way deeper into or through)

forge (move ahead steadily)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Derivation:

progress (the act of moving forward (as toward a goal))

progress (a movement forward)

progression (the act of moving forward (as toward a goal))

Sense 3

Meaning:

Form or accumulate steadily

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

build; build up; progress; work up

Context example:

Pressure is building up at the Indian-Pakistani border

Hypernyms (to "progress" is one way to...):

develop (grow, progress, unfold, or evolve through a process of evolution, natural growth, differentiation, or a conducive environment)

Verb group:

build (develop and grow)

build; build up; ramp up; work up (bolster or strengthen)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

progress (gradual improvement or growth or development)

 Context examples 

If you were part of the workforce, you saw great progress.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

Mr. Darcy was writing, and Miss Bingley, seated near him, was watching the progress of his letter and repeatedly calling off his attention by messages to his sister.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

By all these advantages I made so great a progress, that, in five months from my arrival I understood whatever was spoken, and could express myself tolerably well.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

"God! We are animals! Brute-beasts!" Martin muttered aloud, as he watched the progress of the fight.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

My investigation seemed to be progressing.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“Well, ma'am,” returned Mr. Chillip, “we are—we are progressing slowly, ma'am.”

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

His progress was marked by snarl and snap and growl.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

I could make good progress, therefore, and I could see without being seen.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Though in total darkness, I followed his progress by its sound.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

We progress, my dear Watson, we progress.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)