progress
progress Lexical Profile
progress Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Gradual development, improvement, or movement toward a more advanced, complete, or desirable state or goal.
"The medical research team has made remarkable progress toward developing an effective vaccine."
Forward or onward movement toward a physical destination.
"Heavy snowstorms along the mountain pass slowed our progress to a crawl."
A ceremonial or state journey made by a monarch or sovereign through their realm (historical).
"During the summer months, Queen Elizabeth I regularly undertook a royal progress across the estates of southern England."
• verb
To develop, improve, or advance gradually toward a more complete, mature, or Accomplished state.
"Her fluency in Mandarin progressed rapidly after she spent a semester studying in Taipei."
To move forward or onward in space or time.
"As the afternoon progressed, the coastal fog lifted to reveal a clear blue sky."
Word Nuance & Usage
'Progress' is a two-syllable heteronym whose pronunciation shifts by part of speech: as a noun, primary stress falls on the first syllable (PROG-ress or PROH-gress), whereas as a verb, stress falls on the second syllable (pruh-GRESS).
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the early 15th century from Old French 'progres' and directly from Latin 'progressus' ('a going forward, advance'), from the past participle of 'progredi' ('to go forward'), combining 'pro-' ('forward') and 'gradi' ('to step, walk').