Progressive — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun /prə-ˈgre-siv/ pro·gres·sive

Meaning & Definition of Progressive

Progressive (adjective)

  1. of, relating to, or characterized by progress
  2. using, involving, or interested in new or modern ideas
  3. characterized by continuous improvement or advancement

Progressive (noun)

  1. someone who is progressive
  2. an adherent or advocate of the philosophy of political progressivism, someone who advocates for or values the advancement of the public good through government action
  3. a member of a Progressive political party

Progressive (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. being far along in development

    "progressive forms of animal life"

    similar: advanced, developed, evolved, forward, high, higher, improved, late, refined
    related: precocious, full-blown, full-fledged, full-scale, aged, grown, mature, matured, perfected, ripe, ripened, civilized, educated, enhanced, enlightened, contemporary, current, cutting-edge, latest, leading-edge, mod, modern, new, newest, newfangled, new-fashioned, novel, now, present-day, recent, space-age, supermodern, ultramodern, up-to-date
    opposite: backward, low, lower, nonprogressive, primitive, rude, rudimentary, undeveloped
    near: green, immature, underdeveloped, undersized, underweight, unripe, unripened, savage, uncivilized, uneducated, early, embryonic, germinal, primeval, primordial, antediluvian, antiquated, antique, dated, fusty, hoary, musty, Neanderthal, obsolete, old, oldfangled, old-fashioned, old-time, out-of-date, outworn, passé, past

  2. not bound by traditional ways or beliefs

    "a socially progressive community, it was the first to provide for the public education of girls"

    similar: broad-minded, liberal, nonconventional, nonorthodox, nontraditional, open-minded, radical, unconventional, unorthodox
    related: advanced, contemporary, modern, forbearing, indulgent, large-minded, lenient, permissive, tolerant, extreme, impartial, objective, unbiased
    opposite: conservative, conventional, hidebound, nonprogressive, old-fashioned, orthodox, stodgy, traditional
    near: hard, rigid, strict, doctrinal, dogmatic, bigoted, blinkered, intolerant, narrow-minded, reactionary, unreconstructed

  3. being or employing the latest concepts, styles, or techniques

    "one of the founders of progressive dance, Isadora Duncan became an inspiration to an array of free-spirited artists"

    similar: advanced, avant, avant-garde, cutting-edge, state-of-the-art
    related: pioneering, revolutionary, trailblazing, alternative, antiestablishment, nontraditional, unconventional, underground, bizarre, far-out, outré, way-out, fresh, new, novel, original, strange, unaccustomed, unfamiliar, unheard-of, unknown, unprecedented, contemporary, current, hot, mod, modern, modernistic, newfangled, new-fashioned, present-day, red-hot, space-age, ultramodern, up-to-date
    near: conventional, customary, established, orthodox, traditional

Progressive (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in reformer

    similar: reformer, centrist, middle-of-the-roader, moderate, accommodationist, compromiser
    opposite: extremist, radical, revolutionary, revolutionist, ultraist, conservative, reactionary, rightist, right-winger, leftist, left-winger, liberal

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Progressive

The most common words with a similar meaning to Progressive:

advanced, developed, evolved, forward, high, higher, improved, late, refined, broad-minded, liberal, nonconventional, nonorthodox, nontraditional, open-minded, radical, unconventional, unorthodox, avant, avant-garde, cutting-edge, state-of-the-art, reformer, centrist, middle-of-the-roader, moderate, accommodationist, compromiser

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Progressive

Words with the opposite meaning of Progressive:

backward, low, lower, nonprogressive, primitive, rude, rudimentary, undeveloped, conservative, conventional, hidebound, old-fashioned, orthodox, stodgy, traditional, extremist, radical, revolutionary, revolutionist, ultraist, reactionary, rightist, right-winger, leftist, left-winger, liberal

Related Words for Progressive

precocious, full-blown, full-fledged, full-scale, aged, grown, mature, matured, perfected, ripe, ripened, civilized, educated, enhanced, enlightened, contemporary, current, latest, leading-edge, mod, modern, new, newest, newfangled, new-fashioned, novel, now, present-day, recent, space-age

Near Antonyms of Progressive

green, immature, underdeveloped, undersized, underweight, unripe, unripened, savage, uncivilized, uneducated, early, embryonic, germinal, primeval, primordial, antediluvian, antiquated, antique, dated, fusty, hoary, musty, Neanderthal, obsolete, old, oldfangled, old-time, out-of-date, outworn, passé

Word Forms of Progressive

Inflections: progressives

Derived words: progressively (adverb), progressiveness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Progressive

First known use: 1612

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Progressive

Words & Phrases Containing Progressive

progressive tense, anti-progressive, the progressive

Frequently Asked Questions about Progressive

What does "Progressive" mean?

"Progressive" means of, relating to, or characterized by progress. As an an adjective and a noun, it is defined as: of, relating to, or characterized by progress. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Progressive"?

Other words for "Progressive" include advanced, developed, evolved, forward, high, higher, improved and late. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Progressive" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Progressive"?

There are 92 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Progressive". Common alternatives include advanced, developed, evolved, forward, high, higher, improved, late, refined and broad-minded.

What is the opposite of "Progressive"?

Antonyms of "Progressive" include backward, low, lower, nonprogressive, primitive, rude, rudimentary and undeveloped. Near antonyms include green, immature, underdeveloped and undersized.

How do you use "Progressive" in a sentence?

Examples of "Progressive" in a sentence: "progressive forms of animal life"; "a socially progressive community, it was the first to provide for the public education of girls"; "one of the founders of progressive dance, Isadora Duncan became an inspiration to an array of free-spirited artists".

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

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

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

As a B2-level word, "Progressive" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Progressive"?

"Progressive" is pronounced /prə-ˈgre-siv/ and divided into syllables as pro·gres·sive.