a conversation in progress

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a conversation in progress" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an ongoing discussion or dialogue that is currently taking place. Example: "Please do not interrupt; we are having a conversation in progress about the project details."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

In the kitchen, as Dorothy waited to set her six-pack in the refrigerator, the girl-woman in front of her, whose name was Cecilia, abruptly whirled around and hissed, "Can you please get the fuck out of my space bubble?" Dorothy and I joined a conversation in progress among five people, and it soon emerged that one of them, Jonah, was the third Peaslee.

The New Yorker

The work begins well before Nuance's voice recognition tech enters the picture — Expect Labs's system works by continually listening to a conversation in progress and analyzing the raw sound data and segmenting it into little chunks.

TechCrunch

That's the language of skin". "When a tattoo artist makes marks on skin, he or she joins a conversation in progress.

HuffPost

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

The show is a direct portal into a married couple's conversation in progress.

Vice

When you come to Evensong here, you are witnessing a conversation already in progress - a conversation between God and God's people which began long before you were born and which will continue long after your death.

Duke University

This conversation in progress alongside the images gives you some insights into Marc's work, but I'd encourage you to give his work a closer look.

Huffington Post

How can a conversation progress in an environment where there are no consequences to making things up?

The New Yorker

That's one reason he doesn't build scenes, but prefers to plunge you into events and conversations in progress.

The New York Times

I half knew a few of the people I could see there, but the crowd seemed amorphous, unfocussed — there were no conversations in progress.

The New Yorker

With all the conversations in progress on our site at any moment, and more on the way, our moderators just don't have time to act like proof-readers, going through everything anyone says and editing bits out to make them more palatable.

The Guardian

Carnell says they also have conversations in progress with fleet and leasing companies around potential for them to list their cars on the website.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a conversation in progress" to indicate that you are joining an existing discussion, or to describe a scene where a discussion is already underway. This helps set the context for your readers or listeners.

Common error

Avoid using "a conversation in progress" when referring to a future conversation or one that has already concluded. This phrase specifically indicates an ongoing discussion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a conversation in progress" functions as a noun phrase that describes an ongoing discussion or dialogue. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a conversation in progress" is a grammatically sound and useful phrase for describing an ongoing discussion. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's most frequently encountered in news and media, as well as academic settings. While relatively uncommon overall, it serves the specific purpose of setting a scene or indicating that one is joining an existing discussion. When using this phrase, ensure it accurately reflects a dialogue that is currently happening, avoiding confusion with past or future discussions. Alternatives like "an ongoing discussion" or "a current dialogue" can provide similar meaning with slight variations in emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an ongoing discussion

Replaces "conversation" with "discussion" and "in progress" with "ongoing", maintaining the core meaning of a current dialogue.

a discussion underway

Substitutes "conversation" with "discussion" and uses "underway" to convey the sense of being in progress, offering a slightly more concise alternative.

a current dialogue

Replaces "conversation" with "dialogue" and "in progress" with "current", emphasizing the active exchange of ideas.

an evolving conversation

Replaces "in progress" with "evolving", highlighting the dynamic and changing nature of the conversation.

a developing discussion

Similar to "evolving conversation", this emphasizes the growth and unfolding of the discussion.

a live discussion

Focuses on the real-time aspect of the conversation, implying it is happening now.

a continuous dialogue

Highlights the uninterrupted nature of the dialogue, suggesting it is ongoing without breaks.

an unfolding discussion

Emphasizes the gradual revealing of information and perspectives in the discussion.

a proceeding conversation

Uses "proceeding" to indicate that the conversation is advancing or moving forward.

a conversation happening now

Directly states that the conversation is currently taking place, adding immediacy.

FAQs

What does "a conversation in progress" mean?

It means a discussion or dialogue that is currently happening, not one that is planned or has already finished.

How can I use "a conversation in progress" in a sentence?

You might say, "I overheard "an interesting conversation in progress" in the next room" or "When I entered the meeting, "a conversation was already in progress"".

What are some alternatives to "a conversation in progress"?

You can use alternatives such as "an ongoing discussion", "a current dialogue", or "a discussion underway".

Is it appropriate to interrupt "a conversation in progress"?

Generally, it's considered polite to avoid interrupting "a conversation in progress" unless you have an urgent or important matter to contribute.