Advance — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun adjective /əd-ˈvan(t)s/ ad·vance

Meaning & Definition of Advance

Advance (verb)

  1. to accelerate the growth or progress of
  2. to bring or move forward
  3. to raise to a higher rank

Advance (noun)

  1. a moving forward
  2. progress in development
  3. a progressive step, improvement

Advance (adjective)

  1. made, sent, or furnished ahead of time
  2. going or situated before

Advance (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to give to another for temporary use with the understanding that it or a like thing will be returned

    "advanced her some cash with the understanding that the amount would be deducted from her first paycheck"

    similar: lend, loan
    related: furnish, give, grant, lease, let (chiefly British), rent
    opposite: borrow
    near: receive, take

  2. to help the growth or development of

    "great thinkers who did much to advance modern science"

    similar: cultivate, encourage, forward, foster, further, incubate, nourish, nurse, nurture, promote
    related: advocate, back, champion, endorse, support, uphold, endow, finance, fund, patronize, stake, subsidize, underwrite, abet, aid, assist, advertise, boost, plug, publicize, tout, agitate (for), campaign (for), work (for)
    opposite: discourage, frustrate, hinder, inhibit
    near: ban, bar, enjoin, forbid, interdict, outlaw, prevent, prohibit, proscribe, battle, combat, contend (with), counter, fight, oppose, repress, snuff (out), squash, squelch, stifle, subdue, suppress, arrest, check, halt, retard, encumber, fetter, hobble, impede, interfere (with), manacle, obstruct, shackle

  3. to move forward along a course

    "as the technology advances, electronic devices keep getting smaller and smarter"

    similar: come, come along, do, fare, forge, get along, get on, go, go along, go off, march, pace, proceed, progress, gain ground
    related: accelerate, fast-forward, speed, approach, near, journey, pass, repair, run, travel, wend, actuate, drive, impel, propel, push, take out
    opposite: remain, stand, stay, stop
    near: arrest, balk, block, check, detain, halt, hinder, hold back, impede, nip, obstruct, slow (down or up), stem, repress, retard, stunt, suppress, delay, interrupt, stall, cramp, hamper, inhibit, cease, let up, pause, regress, wait

  4. to move higher in rank or position

    "within six months was advanced to the position of head waiter, to the dismay of the waiters who had been there much longer"

    similar: elevate, promote, raise, upgrade, kick upstairs
    related: forward, further, aggrandize, boost, heighten, improve, lift, uplift, commission, ennoble, knight, acclaim, applaud, celebrate, cite, commend, compliment, congratulate, decorate, eulogize, exalt, extol, glorify, hail, honor, laud, praise, salute
    opposite: abase, degrade, demote, downgrade, lower, reduce
    near: depose, dethrone, dismiss, expel, impeach, oust, overthrow, remove, unmake, unseat, demean, disgrace, dishonor, humble, humiliate, mortify, shame, take down, censure, condemn, damn, denounce, reprobate

  5. to set before the mind for consideration

    "let me explain my reasons for advancing this proposal"

    similar: bounce, offer, pose, proffer, propose, propound, suggest, vote, put forth, put forward
    related: move, nominate, recommend, present, submit, tender, trot out, file, lay, lodge, arrange, calculate, chart, contrive, cover, frame, map, plan, plot, shape

  6. to move closer to

    "advanced cautiously toward the snarling dog"

    similar: approach, come, near, nigh
    related: drop in, enter, pop (in)
    opposite: go, recede (from), retreat, withdraw
    near: depart, exit, leave

Advance (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. forward movement in time or place

    "during her long convalescence, the housebound woman was barely aware of the advance of the seasons"

    similar: advancement, furtherance, going, headway, march, onrush, passage, process, procession, progress, progression
    related: current, drift, flow, flux, stream, way, advent, approach, arrival, coming, nearing, bound, jump, leap, step, stride, impetus, momentum
    opposite: recess, recession, regress, regression, retreat, retrogression
    near: backwash, ebb, reflux, retraction, return, reversal, reverse, about-face, turnabout, turnaround

  2. an instance of notable progress in the development of knowledge, technology, or skill

    "under her new teacher, the aspiring violinist has made noticeable advances in her technique in just a few weeks"

    similar: advancement, breakthrough, enhancement, improvement, refinement
    related: quantum leap, amelioration, boost, heightening, increase, melioration, strengthening, upgrade, uplift, upswing, uptrend, upturn, betterment, development, elaboration, evolution, expansion, gestation, growth, maturation, perfection, ripening, civilization, edification, education, enlightenment, renaissance, renascence, revival, discovery, find, windfall, innovation, invention
    opposite: setback
    near: breakdown, collapse, crash, hindrance, impediment, stumbling block, decadence, decay, declension, decline, decrease, degeneration, descent, deterioration, diminishment, downgrade, ebbing, failing, flagging, languishment, lapse, lessening, reduction, sinking, slowing, weakening, worsening, detriment, disablement, drawback, glitch, impairment, shortcoming

Advance (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in early, premature

    similar: early, premature, antecedent, anterior, foregoing, former, precedent, preceding, previous, prior, earliest, first, inaugural, initial, maiden, original, pioneer, preexisting, introductory, preliminary, erstwhile, whilom
    opposite: after, ensuing, following, later, posterior, subsequent, succeeding, advanced, late, closing, concluding, final, last, latest, latter, terminal, ultimate

Related Entry: In advance (phrase)

In advance is a different word from Advance. The synonyms below are for in advance, not for advance.

  1. so as to precede something in order of time

    "The cooks prepared their ingredients in advance."

    similar: ahead, already, antecedently, anteriorly, before, beforehand, earlier, formerly, preliminarily, previously
    related: a priori, early, prematurely, first, first off, now, before long, erelong (archaic), presently, shortly, soon
    opposite: after, afterward, later
    near: behind, by and by, next, subsequently

Related Entry: In advance of (phrase)

In advance of is a different word from Advance. The synonyms below are for in advance of, not for advance.

  1. earlier than

    "We booked our flight several months in advance of the trip."

    similar: afore (chiefly dialect), ahead of, before, ere, fore (chiefly dialect), of, previous to, prior to, to
    related: till, until, up to
    opposite: after, following
    near: next, next to, since

  2. preceding in space

    "We ran to catch up to the group that was walking in advance of us."

    similar: afore (chiefly dialect), ahead of, before, fore (chiefly dialect), in front of
    related: against
    opposite: after, following

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Advance

The most common words with a similar meaning to Advance:

lend, loan, cultivate, encourage, forward, foster, further, incubate, nourish, nurse, nurture, promote, come, come along, do, fare, forge, get along, get on, go, go along, go off, march, pace, proceed, progress, elevate, raise, upgrade, bounce, offer, pose, proffer, propose, propound, suggest, vote, approach, near, nigh

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Advance

Words with the opposite meaning of Advance:

borrow, discourage, frustrate, hinder, inhibit, remain, stand, stay, stop, abase, degrade, demote, downgrade, lower, reduce, go, recede (from), retreat, withdraw, recess, recession, regress, regression, retrogression, setback, after, ensuing, following, later, posterior

Related Words for Advance

furnish, give, grant, lease, let, rent, advocate, back, champion, endorse, support, uphold, endow, finance, fund, patronize, stake, subsidize, underwrite, abet, aid, assist, advertise, boost, plug, publicize, tout, agitate (for), campaign (for), work (for)

Near Antonyms of Advance

receive, take, ban, bar, enjoin, forbid, interdict, outlaw, prevent, prohibit, proscribe, battle, combat, contend (with), counter, fight, oppose, repress, snuff (out), squash, squelch, stifle, subdue, suppress, arrest, check, halt, retard, encumber, fetter

Word Forms of Advance

Inflections: advanced, advancing

Derived words: advancer (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Advance

Middle English advauncen, alteration (with initial a- taken as assimilated form of Latin ad- ad-) of avauncen, borrowed from Anglo-French avancer, going back to Vulgar Latin *abantiāre, verbal derivative of Latin abante "before, in front," from ab- ab- + ante "before" ante-

First known use: 1538

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Advance

Words & Phrases Containing Advance

advance directive, advance man, advance on, in advance, in advance of

Frequently Asked Questions about Advance

What does "Advance" mean?

"Advance" means to accelerate the growth or progress of. As an a verb, a noun and an adjective, it is defined as: to accelerate the growth or progress of. It has 9 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Advance"?

Other words for "Advance" include lend, loan, cultivate, encourage, forward, foster, further and incubate. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Advance" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Advance"?

There are 220 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Advance". Common alternatives include lend, loan, cultivate, encourage, forward, foster, further, incubate, nourish and nurse.

What is the opposite of "Advance"?

Antonyms of "Advance" include borrow, discourage, frustrate, hinder, inhibit, remain, stand and stay. Near antonyms include receive, take, ban and bar.

How do you use "Advance" in a sentence?

Examples of "Advance" in a sentence: "advanced her some cash with the understanding that the amount would be deducted from her first paycheck"; "great thinkers who did much to advance modern science"; "as the technology advances, electronic devices keep getting smaller and smarter".

Is "Advance" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Advance" can be used as a verb, a noun and an adjective, depending on the context.

Is "Advance" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B1-level word, "Advance" is typical of Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET), IELTS band 4.0–5.0, TOEFL iBT 42–71, PTE Academic 43–58, TOEIC Listening & Reading 550+.

How do you pronounce "Advance"?

"Advance" is pronounced /əd-ˈvan(t)s/ and divided into syllables as ad·vance.