progress

1 of 2

noun

prog·​ress ˈprä-grəs How to pronounce progress (audio)
-ˌgres,
 US also and British usually  ˈprō-ˌgres
1
a(1)
: a royal journey marked by pomp and pageant
(2)
: a state procession
b
: a tour or circuit made by an official (such as a judge)
c
: an expedition, journey, or march through a region
2
: a forward or onward movement (as to an objective or to a goal) : advance
3
: gradual betterment
especially : the progressive development of humankind

progress

2 of 2

verb

pro·​gress prə-ˈgres How to pronounce progress (audio)
progressed; progressing; progresses

intransitive verb

1
: to move forward : proceed
2
: to develop to a higher, better, or more advanced stage
Phrases
in progress
: going on : occurring

Examples of progress in a Sentence

Noun the rapid progress of the ship He made slow progress down the steep cliff. The project showed slow but steady progress. Verb The project has been progressing slowly. The work is progressing and should be completed soon. The caravan progressed slowly across the desert.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Governments in the early part of the last century began making serious progress in preventing infectious diseases. Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2024 After relying on the contraption for about three months, Barnaby’s scooter was removed in February and he’s seen lots of progress with his mobility, according to zoo officials. Jennifer Rodriguez, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2024 An essential part of any weight-loss plan is being able to maintain your progress. Cynthia Sass, Mph, Health, 24 Mar. 2024 Analysts say this may scare Senegal’s foreign investors and stall economic progress. Mady Camara, New York Times, 24 Mar. 2024 For years, human rights groups have lauded Argentina as a beacon of progress in settling accounts. Isabel Debre, The Christian Science Monitor, 24 Mar. 2024 Severe consequences, the civil rights group’s president suggested, could steer progress toward justice. Emma Tucker, CNN, 23 Mar. 2024 Gorilla keeper Angie Holmes kneels close by, watching her progress. Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Mar. 2024 Instead of progress in her case, Nicole got visits from Vicknair. Carolyn Van Houten, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024
Verb
However, the report notes that progress in the U.S. has stalled. David Meyer, Fortune, 14 Mar. 2024 As the day progresses, Hood said there will be more moisture, gusty winds, and temperatures will be in the 70s and near the 80s for much of Arkansas. Remington Miller, arkansasonline.com, 13 Mar. 2024 That helped stock indexes to reverse their losses as the day progressed. Yuri Kageyama, Quartz, 12 Mar. 2024 The accumulation of fat in the liver causes inflammation, which leads to fibrosis, or liver scarring, and can progress in more advanced stages to cirrhosis, cancer, and the need for a liver transplant. Adam Feuerstein Reprints, STAT, 12 Mar. 2024 These include classic titles, 3D titles, Megaways titles, progress jackpot titles and several others. Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024 Bill has bipartisan support The bill has progressed easily through both chambers with bipartisan support. Democrats, who have been sounding the alarm about the child care crisis for years, have expressed a desire to further expand eligibility for certain vouchers and subsidies. Kayla Dwyer, The Indianapolis Star, 6 Mar. 2024 Trump Has Promised to Do in a Second Term Over a soft-pedaled piano, Laufey sounds tentative and exploratory at first, but as the track progresses, an assured tone of defiance kicks in along with a swelling orchestra. Leah Lu, Rolling Stone, 6 Mar. 2024 Emma Heming Willis took to social media over the weekend to dispel reports about her husband and family’s life since his condition progressed from aphasia to frontotemporal dementia (FTD) last year. Shania Russell, EW.com, 3 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'progress.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French progrés, from Latin progressus advance, from progredi to go forth, from pro- forward + gradi to go — more at pro-, grade entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

1539, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of progress was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near progress

Cite this Entry

“Progress.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/progress. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

progress

1 of 2 noun
prog·​ress ˈpräg-rəs How to pronounce progress (audio)
-ˌres,
 chiefly British  ˈprō-ˌgres
1
: a moving toward a goal
the progress of a ship
2
: gradual improvement or advancement
the progress of science

progress

2 of 2 verb
pro·​gress prə-ˈgres How to pronounce progress (audio)
1
: to move forward : advance, proceed
the story progressed
how is the experiment progressing?
2
: to move toward a higher, better, or more advanced stage

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