Progressive Definition & Meaning

progressive
adjective
  1. favoring or promoting progress; "progressive schools"
  2. favoring or promoting reform (often by government action)
  3. (of taxes) adjusted so that the rate increases as the amount of income increases
  4. gradually advancing in extent
  5. (of a card game or a dance) involving a series of sections for which the participants successively change place or relative position; "progressive euchre"; "progressive tournaments"
  6. advancing in severity; "progressive paralysis"
noun
  1. a tense of verbs used in describing action that is on-going
  2. a person who favors a political philosophy of progress and reform and the protection of civil liberties

Synonyms for progressive

active adj

tending to become more severe or wider in scope

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advanced adj

farther along in physical or mental development; "the child's skeletal age was classified as `advanced

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advancing adj

moving forward

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chronic adj

being long-lasting and recurrent or characterized by long suffering; "chronic indigestion

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degenerative adj

(of illness) marked by gradual deterioration of organs and cells along with loss of function

♫ Rhymes
degressive adj

going down by steps (of taxes) gradually decreasing in rate on sums below a certain amount

♫ Rhymes
forward adv

at or to or toward the front; "he faced forward"; "step forward

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graduated adj

marked with or divided into degrees; "a calibrated thermometer" taking place by degrees

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imperfect adj

not perfect; defective or inadequate; "had only an imperfect understanding of his responsibilities

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increasing adj

becoming greater or larger; "increasing prices" music

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"Progressive" in song lyrics

See how progressive is used in real songs:

  • "center for progressive"
    AOL — AOL
  • "rcbs progressive"
    AOL — AOL
  • "personal progressive"
    AOL — AOL

Words that rhyme with progressive

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Usage tips for "progressive"

Understanding the precise definition of a word helps you use it with confidence. When using "progressive" in your writing, consider whether you need the word itself or one of its synonyms — subtle differences in meaning can change the tone of a sentence. If you're writing poetry or song lyrics, check the rhymes for progressive to find words that pair well.

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♫ Rhymes with progressive ↔ Synonyms for progressive 🔬 Words containing progressive

Frequently asked questions

What does progressive mean?
favoring or promoting progress; "progressive schools" favoring or promoting reform (often by government action) (of taxes) adjusted so that the rate increases as the amount of income increases gradually advancing in extent (of a card game or a dance) involving a series of sections for which the participants successively change place or relative position; "progressive euchre"; "progressive tournaments" advancing in severity
What part of speech is progressive?
Progressive is an adjective and a noun.
How many definitions does progressive have?
Progressive has 8 definitions across 2 parts of speech (adjective, noun).

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