make headway toward

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "make headway toward" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing progress or advancement in a particular direction or goal. Example: "The team is making headway toward completing the project ahead of schedule."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

She could no longer make headway toward land against the current.

The New York Times - Magazine

To woo one, Robinson needs to reproduce his indoor times in outdoor meets and start to make headway toward his Olympic dream.

The New York Times - Sports

BAGHDAD — The Iraqi Parliament again deferred a vote on the budget on Thursday as political blocs argued about how to divide financing among the provinces, but legislators did make headway toward approving a law that would outline provincial powers.

The New York Times

The algal photosynthesis is at least able to convert approximately 5% to 7% of incident light energy to biomass, where a systems-based approach to understand the stresses and efficiencies associated with light energy harvesting, CO2 fixation, and carbon partitioning is necessary to make headway toward improving photosynthetic yields [56].

Bioresources and Bioprocessing

Rear Admiral William A. Moffett used public relations against Mitchell to make headway toward expansion of the U.S. Navy's nascent aircraft carrier program.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Both are making headway toward a possible opening in the Oscar category, though they may face Academy competition from Emmanuelle Riva in "Amour".

The New York Times

The agreement on new talks comes six months after Mr. Vajpayee and his diplomats made headway toward resolving a 45-year border dispute with China.

The New York Times

Geiger said the university would do so, but only if Clarett met several criteria, including making satisfactory academic progress toward a degree, not breaking any other N.C.A.A. rules and making headway toward what Geiger called "personal growth".

The New York Times - Sports

The oil law — which would govern how oil fields are developed and managed — is one of several benchmarks that the Bush administration has been pressing the Iraqis to meet as a sign that they are making headway toward creating an effective government.

The New York Times

The Bush administration, with its full-court press in Washington and world capitals, appeared to have made headway toward persuading the skeptical Council to adopt a new measure requiring Iraq to accept far more intrusive inspections that would include the palaces of the Iraqi president.

The New York Times

Iranian scientists and nongovernmental organizations are speaking out about the crises and, in some cases, making headway toward solving them.

Science Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "make headway toward", ensure the sentence clearly specifies the goal or objective being approached. For example, "The research team is making headway toward a cure for the disease."

Common error

Avoid using "make headway toward" when the progress is minimal or insignificant. This phrase implies noticeable advancement, so using it for minor steps can be misleading.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "make headway toward" functions as a verb phrase indicating progress or advancement in a particular direction. Ludwig's AI confirms its correctness and usability, supporting its role in describing forward movement towards a goal.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "make headway toward" is a grammatically sound and usable phrase that describes progress in a particular direction or towards a specific goal. While relatively rare in occurrence, as noted by Ludwig, it is commonly found in news, scientific, and formal business contexts. The AI analysis confirms its correct usage. For alternative phrasing, consider "make progress towards" or "advance towards". Ensure to use this phrase when there's truly noticeable advancement to avoid overstating the progress.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

make progress towards

Uses a synonym for "headway", slightly altering the tone while retaining the core meaning.

advance towards

Replaces "make headway" with a single verb indicating forward movement, simplifying the expression.

move closer to

Focuses on reducing the distance to a goal, highlighting proximity as a measure of progress.

make strides toward

Emphasizes the magnitude of progress being made, suggesting significant advancements.

gain ground on

Suggests overcoming resistance or competition while progressing towards a goal.

work towards

Highlights the effort and labor involved in pursuing a goal, rather than just the progress itself.

push forward to

Implies forceful or determined effort to advance toward a specific objective.

proceed toward

Offers a more formal and neutral alternative, suitable for objective reporting of progress.

make advancements in

Shift the focus from direction to the sphere of improvement, while maintaining the progress nuance.

develop closer to

Indicates progress as an ongoing change from current position to the goal that gets closer and more detailed.

FAQs

How can I use "make headway toward" in a sentence?

Use "make headway toward" to describe progress being made in a specific direction or towards a particular goal. For example, "The negotiators are making headway toward a peace agreement."

What are some alternatives to "make headway toward"?

You can use alternatives such as "make progress towards", "advance towards", or "move closer to" depending on the context.

Is it more appropriate to say "make headway toward" or "make headway with"?

"Make headway toward" is used to indicate progress towards a specific goal or objective. "Make headway with" is less common but can be used when referring to progress in a broader area or activity.

What is the difference between "make headway toward" and "make progress toward"?

The phrases "make headway toward" and "make progress toward" are very similar and often interchangeable. "Make headway" might suggest slightly more noticeable or significant progress than "make progress".