made little progress

USAGE SUMMARY

"made little progress" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to describe that a certain goal, project, task, etc. was making progress but the progress was slow. For example, "Despite our efforts, we have made little progress on the project this week."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Until recently he had made little progress.

The Economist

The talks made little progress, however.

Encyclopedia Britannica

But the meeting made little progress.

The Economist

But they've made little progress since.

The Washington Post

His book has made little progress.

The Guardian

Since then, negotiations have made little progress.

The New York Times

Charitable appeals have made little progress.

The Guardian

When Lister tried this strategy, however, he made little progress.

The New Yorker

But her government made little progress with other reforms.

The Economist

"We have made little progress in this regard," he writes.

The New Yorker

By late afternoon, they had made little progress.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "made little progress" to convey that an effort was undertaken, but the results were not substantial. This is useful when acknowledging effort while also noting limited success.

Common error

Avoid using "made little progress" when there has been absolutely no progress. The phrase implies that some effort was made, even if the results were minimal. If there was truly zero progress, consider "made no progress" or "stalled completely."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "made little progress" functions as a verb phrase indicating the degree to which a subject has advanced toward a goal. Ludwig AI identifies its use in describing situations where efforts have yielded minimal results. Examples show its use in discussing negotiations, reforms and investigations.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Academia

15%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

Science

2%

Wiki

1%

Formal & Business

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "made little progress" is a common and grammatically correct way to express that something has not advanced significantly, as confirmed by Ludwig. It's frequently used in neutral contexts such as news reports and academic analyses to convey disappointment or concern about a lack of advancement. While alternatives like "achieved limited advancement" or "gained minimal ground" exist, "made little progress" remains a versatile and widely understood choice. Remember to use it when efforts have yielded some results, however minimal, and avoid it when there has been no advancement whatsoever.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

achieved limited advancement

Focuses on the limited degree of advancement.

gained minimal ground

Emphasizes the slight gain in position or achievement.

showed scant improvement

Highlights the lack of significant improvement.

registered marginal growth

Indicates a very small amount of growth.

experienced limited success

Stresses the restricted level of success achieved.

advanced marginally

Emphasizes the small degree of advancement.

barely progressed

Highlights the minimal nature of progress.

moved forward slightly

Focuses on the minor movement forward.

stagnated significantly

Emphasizes the state of little to no progress, implying a standstill.

remained largely unchanged

Indicates that there was no significant changes.

FAQs

How can I use "made little progress" in a sentence?

You can use "made little progress" to indicate that an effort or project has not advanced significantly. For example, "Despite their best efforts, the team "made little progress" in resolving the issue this quarter."

What are some alternatives to "made little progress"?

Alternatives include "achieved limited advancement", "gained minimal ground", or "showed scant improvement", depending on the specific context.

Is it better to say "made little progress" or "made no progress"?

"Made little progress" suggests some effort was expended, even if it yielded minimal results. "Made no progress" indicates a complete lack of advancement. Choose the phrase that accurately reflects the situation.

What's the difference between "made little progress" and "regressed"?

"Made little progress" implies stagnation or minimal advancement, whereas "regressed" indicates a decline or movement backward. If the situation worsened, "regressed" is the more appropriate term.