Progressively

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Progressively" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that happens gradually or in stages over time. Example: "The project will be implemented progressively, allowing for adjustments based on initial feedback."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

MND progressively weakens the muscles until the sufferer cannot do anything by himself.

The Guardian

Now that this demographic has been progressively stripped out of the Labour party, it's not surprising we are left with too many nice people with their artfully phrased "offers" to the voters.

The Guardian - Opinion

The existing limits to tax relief Both Labour and Tory chancellors have progressively reduced the amount the very well-off can gain in tax relief.

The Guardian - Money

Teaching students that "it's fine not to get everything right", the scheme includes tests that get progressively harder within a time limit, preventing pupils from answering all of the questions.

The Guardian

But O'Donnell clears Labour of a conspiracy to mislead, saying: "Policy was progressively developed that HMG should do all it could, whilst respecting devolved competences, to facilitate an appeal by the Libyans to the Scottish government for Megrahi's release under the prisoner transfer agreement or release on compassionate grounds as the best outcome for managing the risks faced by the UK".

The Guardian

The loss of income is likely to leave some countries progressively indebted to resource-hungry China.

The Guardian

The state's stake has fallen from 25% to 19% in a little less than four months and the public purse has been receiving progressively better prices for its shares.

The Guardian - Business

But still, even as the morality police units grew in number, manteaus continued to grow progressively shorter and tighter, sleeves shrank, and a new technique emerged to hang the headscarf on a small, pointy bun on the back of women's heads.

The Guardian

John O'Doherty, director of the Rainbow Project, which lobbies for gay rights in Northern Ireland, said the report was "startling" and showed that negative perceptions in Northern Ireland about lesbian, gay and bisexual people were getting progressively worse.

The Guardian

I feel as if politics has got progressively more tactical in the time I've been involved, and less about ideas.

The Guardian

"There is a greater recognition of the challenges presented by autism especially in the social setting and also my social skills have progressively improved over the years".

The Guardian - Business

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "progressively" to emphasize a phased or staged development. This is especially effective when describing processes or changes that occur incrementally over time.

Common error

Avoid using "progressively" with adverbs that already imply gradual change, such as "slowly" or "gradually". This can create redundancy and weaken the sentence. Choose either "progressively" or the other adverb, but not both.

Linguistic Context

The adverb "progressively" functions to modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, indicating that an action or state changes or develops gradually or in stages. Ludwig's examples showcase how it enhances the meaning by specifying the manner of change.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

15%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "progressively" is a versatile adverb that signifies gradual or staged development, commonly used across various contexts, particularly in News & Media and Formal & Business settings. Ludwig AI's analysis confirms its grammatical correctness and highlights its communicative purpose of indicating incremental change over time. While adaptable, it's important to avoid redundancy by pairing it with synonyms. Remember to emphasize the phased nature of changes when you're looking for using "progressively".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Increasingly

Focuses on the growing nature of something over time, similar to progressively but with emphasis on growth.

Gradually

Implies a slow and steady change, akin to progressively but often suggests a smoother transition.

Steadily

Indicates a consistent and reliable progression, resembling progressively but prioritizing stability.

Incrementally

Suggests small, regular additions or changes, similar to progressively but emphasizing the size of the increments.

By degrees

Expresses gradual advancement, much like progressively but perhaps with less force.

Step by step

Highlights a sequential approach, where change happens in distinct stages, much like a planned progression.

Systematically

Suggests a planned and methodical progression, similar to progressively but emphasizing order.

Sequentially

Implies that actions or changes happen in a specific order, as with progressively but with greater stress on the order itself.

Continually

Emphasizes the uninterrupted nature of the change, whereas progressively focuses on the staged aspect.

In stages

Highlights the distinct phases of progression, resembling progressively but emphasizing the structured nature of the process.

FAQs

How can I effectively use "progressively" in a sentence?

Use "progressively" to describe a situation where something changes or develops in stages. For example, "The exercises became "increasingly" difficult as the weeks passed", showing a gradual increase in difficulty.

What are some alternatives to "progressively"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "gradually", "increasingly", "step by step", or "incrementally".

Is it correct to say "progressively more better"?

No, it's incorrect. "Progressively" already implies an increasing degree, so using "more" with a comparative adjective like "better" is redundant. Instead, say "progressively better" or "increasingly better".

What's the difference between "progressively" and "continuously"?

"Progressively" describes something that changes or develops in stages, while "continuously" indicates something that happens without interruption. For example, "The technology "continually" evolves", meaning there are no breaks between updates.