The word progressive can be a great new word to learn, and this article will teach you everything there is to know about the meaning of progressive.
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Kevin
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February 11, 2022
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Do you know what it means when people say the word progressive? Progressive has tons of different meanings, and familiarizing yourself with each of them can help you correctly use this word in your everyday life!
What Does the Word Progressive Mean?
According to Collins English Dictionary, the adjective progressive has a few different meanings. First, this word can mean proceeding in steps or gradual degrees. It can also mean forward-thinking and in favor of political reform or social reform. The word progressive is three syllables (pro-gres-sive), and the pronunciation of progressive is prəˈɡrɛsɪv.
According to Britannica, the word progressive can also be used as a specific term in American politics. The original progressive movement included presidents like Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson. This movement was created in response to technological breakthroughs and economic growth.
Throughout the 20th centuries, progressives attempted to implement new regulations during the Industrial Era. The policies of the progressives resemble the modern perspectives of the social Democratic party, which is often considered to have a political philosophy of progress.
Progressive policies are often reflected in areas of politics like the tax system, social justice, the protection of civil liberties, and other modern ideas.
Progressive can also be used in grammar to refer to the progressive tense. This verb form uses the present participle of a verb as well as a conjugation of the verb “to be” to refer to things that are currently in progress.
What Are Translations of the Word Progressive?
This list of translations can help you say progressive in different languages:
- Finnish: edistyksellinen, edistysmielinen (favoring or promoting progress); edistynyt (advanced)
- Russian: передово́й, прогресси́вный
- Catalan: progressista
- Czech: pokrokový (masc.)
- Romanian: progresist, progresistă (fem.), avansat (masc.) (n), înaintat (masc.) (n)
- Scottish Gaelic: adhartach
- Dutch: progressief
- German: fortschrittlich, progressiv
- Sorani: پێشکهوتو
- Tagalog: masulong
- Portuguese: progressista (masc.) (f)
What Is the Etymology of the Word Progressive?
The word progressive has been used since roughly the year 1600. This word comes from the French progressif. The French word originates from the Latin progredi and its past participle stem.
This word was used regarding taxation in 1889. From there, it was used to references anything striving for innovation in 1908. Socio-politically, this word emerged in Britain in the 1880s and reached the United States by the 1890s. By the year 2000, this term had come to refer to liberal Democrats and social activists.
The related word progressionist was used in the 1840s, as well as the word progressist. Other related words include the nouns progressiveness and progression and the adverb progressively.
How Can the Word Progressive Be Used in a Sentence?
The word progressive has a few potential definitions and can be used in a variety of ways. Take a look at these example sentences to get a sense of the ways you can use the word progressive in a sentence. Then, try using this word in a sentence of your own with one of its varying definitions!
The progressive community lived in group housing, and each member contributed to everyone else’s well-being. The experimental community was featured in the press.
The progressive rock band didn’t sing songs about doing drugs or getting girls, instead focusing on social change and enacting progressive policies.
The progressive disease slowly took over the man’s body until he could no longer use his limbs.
The progressive schools were part of a coalition to teach children new ideas. They believe that even young children are capable of understanding complexity.
Her health was in progressive decline until the doctors found a cure for her rare illness.
The progressive candidate was one of the only politicians who fought against the world wars during his period of time.
What Are Synonyms of the Word Progressive?
Since the word progressive has a variety of potential meanings, sometimes it can be useful to use a synonym with only one meaning. This way, the person that you are speaking with or writing to will be less confused. This list of synonyms of the word progressive from Power Thesaurus can help get you started:
- advanced
- advancing
- avant-garde
- broad-minded
- consecutive
- continuing
- continuous
- developing
- dynamic
- enlightened
- enterprising
- forward
- forward-looking
- forward-thinking
- go-ahead
- gradual
- gradually
- growing
- imperfect
- increasing
- incremental
- innovative
- left
- left-winger
- leftist
- liberal
- liberalist
- modern
- ongoing
- onward
- open-minded
- pioneering
- progressively
- radical
- reformer
- reformist
- revolutionary
- step by step
- step-by-step
- successive
- tolerant
What Are Antonyms of the Word Progressive?
Antonyms for the word progressive can be useful if want to say something or someone isn’t progressive. Instead of putting a negative qualifier in front of an adjective, it can strengthen your writing to use a specific word or phrase in place of the negated term.
To learn words that mean the opposite of progressive, you can start by looking up the definitions of these antonyms from Power Thesaurus:
- antiquated
- apathetic
- archconservative
- back in
- behind the curve
- bigoted
- birchite
- blinkered
- careless
- casual
- conformist
- conservative
- conventional
- counter-revolutionary
- customary
- die-hard
- disinterested
- dispassionate
- dyed-in-the-wool
- extremist
- fuddy-duddy
- fundamentalist
- hard hat
- idle
- impassive
- inactive
- indifferent
- indolent
- intolerant
- intransigent
- irresolute
- moderate
- nostalgic
- old-fashioned
- orthodox
- reactionary
- regressive
- retrogressive
- stick-in-the-mud
- traditional
- traditionalist
- unprogressive
Conclusion
Overall, the word progressive is an adjective with a variety of meanings. Progressive can mean proceeding in steps or stages, forward-thinking in politics, or referring to a specific verb tense. Try using this word and its variety of meanings in a sentence today to remember its definition!
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