made significant headway

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "made significant headway" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate progress or advancement in a particular area or task. Example: "The team has made significant headway in developing the new software application over the past few months."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Formal & Business

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

In the process, Democrats and unions have made significant headway.

The Guardian - Opinion

In just a few months, she made significant headway.

The New Yorker

He has, however, made significant headway in winnowing down the detainee population.

The New York Times

Over the past three decades, theorists and researchers alike have made significant headway in understanding how working memory functions.

The New York Times - Magazine

During his first term as president, Obama made significant headway with Putin's successor and predecessor, Dmitri Medvedev, on issues such as nuclear arms reductions.

Harvard University

While we did not attain our initial target of constructing a fully-operational laptop-like UNIX computer, we made significant headway in our time working on the project.

Cornell University

Chinese music and theater, traditional and modern, has made significant headway in New York over the last decade, with an influx of composers, performers and directors.

The New York Times - Arts

The tour comes when opponents of the act appear to have made significant headway in recent months in raising concerns about its impact.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

3 human-written examples

They were soon making significant headway.

The New York Times

Four rounds of talks since last year have failed to make significant headway.

Independent

It demonstrates that, even in extreme situations, disenfranchised groups can make significant headway through effective use of negotiating techniques.

Harvard University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "made significant headway" when you want to emphasize that noticeable and important progress has been achieved, especially after a period of effort or difficulty. It suggests more than just incremental progress.

Common error

Don't use "made significant headway" to describe minor or easily achieved progress. The phrase implies a substantial effort and meaningful results, so reserve it for situations where the advancement is genuinely noteworthy.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "made significant headway" functions as a verb phrase, indicating that substantial progress has been achieved. It is commonly used to denote advancement in a specific task, project, or area, suggesting that more than just minimal steps have been taken. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase's correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Academia

22%

Science

16%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "made significant headway" is a common and grammatically correct expression used to describe substantial progress. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is appropriate for a variety of contexts, including news, academia, and professional settings. While versatile, it should be reserved for describing genuinely noteworthy advancements, rather than trivial progress. Alternatives include "made considerable progress" and "achieved substantial advancement". The phrase's prevalence in reputable sources like The New York Times and The Guardian underscores its reliability and widespread acceptance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

made considerable progress

Replaces "significant headway" with "considerable progress", emphasizing the extent of the advancement.

achieved substantial advancement

Substitutes "made" with "achieved" and "significant headway" with "substantial advancement", highlighting accomplishment and magnitude.

advanced significantly

Simplifies the phrase by using the adverb "significantly" to modify "advanced".

progressed substantially

Similar to the previous, but uses "progressed" as the verb.

gained considerable ground

Uses a different metaphor, replacing "headway" with "ground", but maintains the sense of making progress.

made strides

A more concise and idiomatic way of expressing progress.

moved forward decisively

Emphasizes the certainty and impact of the progress.

improved markedly

Highlights the improvement resulting from the progress.

forged ahead successfully

Emphasizes the determination and positive result of the advancement.

attained notable success

Focuses on the successful outcome of the progress.

FAQs

How can I use "made significant headway" in a sentence?

You can use "made significant headway" to describe progress in various fields. For example: "The research team "made significant headway" in cancer treatment."

What can I say instead of "made significant headway"?

You can use alternatives like "made considerable progress", "achieved substantial advancement", or "gained considerable ground".

Is it appropriate to use "made significant headway" in formal writing?

Yes, ""made significant headway"" is suitable for formal writing as it is a clear and professional way to describe substantial progress.

What's the difference between "made significant headway" and "made progress"?

"Made significant headway" implies more substantial and noticeable progress than simply "made progress". It suggests overcoming obstacles and achieving a noteworthy advancement.