making significant headway

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "making significant headway" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe progress or advancement in a particular task or project. Example: "After several weeks of hard work, we are finally making significant headway on the new software development."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

18 human-written examples

They were soon making significant headway.

The New York Times

Gen. William Westmoreland, the senior commander, did not see it that way; by his primary metric — the body count — American and allied forces were making significant headway.

The New York Times

KABUL, Afghanistan, Oct. 12 - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived here Wednesday for a short visit during a continuing surge of violence, but she remained intent on portraying Afghanistan as a nation making significant headway.

The New York Times

Indeed, it has only been over the past year following nearly 20 years of stagnation that we see what Evans calls the recent "goal-oriented monetary expansion" making significant headway in extracting Japan from below-target inflation.

Independent

And it looks like the company is making significant headway in picking up customers.

TechCrunch

Other countries are making significant headway on us in key technology sectors, and we urgently need to turn the tide.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

42 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

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 "making significant headway" when you want to emphasize that real, noticeable progress is being achieved. It's suitable for describing advancements in projects, research, or any endeavor where forward movement is important.

Common error

Avoid using "making significant headway" when the progress is minimal or merely incremental. Save it for situations where the advancement is truly substantial and impactful.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "making significant headway" functions as a verbal phrase indicating the action of making important progress. It describes the process of advancing substantially towards a goal, as evidenced by Ludwig's examples showing the phrase used in various contexts to highlight achievements.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "making significant headway" is a commonly used and grammatically correct expression that indicates substantial progress or advancement. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage across diverse contexts, predominantly in News & Media, Academia, and Science. The phrase functions to convey that real and noticeable progress is being achieved, making it suitable for formal and professional communication. When using this phrase, ensure that the progress is truly significant to avoid overstating the situation. Alternatives such as "achieving considerable progress" or "gaining significant ground" can be used to add variety while maintaining the same core meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

achieving considerable progress

Focuses on the accomplishment of moving forward substantially.

gaining significant ground

Implies overcoming obstacles to advance.

making substantial progress

Highlights the important extent of the advancement.

advancing considerably

Emphasizes the act of moving forward to a noticeable degree.

making notable strides

Suggests significant improvements or advancements.

progressing significantly

Directly states that progress is being made to a large extent.

gaining momentum quickly

Indicates an increasing rate of progress.

moving forward rapidly

Emphasizes the speed of the advancement.

improving markedly

Highlights the degree of positive change.

showing major development

Focuses on visible growth or evolution.

FAQs

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

You can use "making significant headway" to describe substantial progress in any endeavor. For example, "The team is "making significant headway" on the new marketing campaign".

What are some alternatives to "making significant headway"?

Alternatives include "achieving considerable progress", "gaining significant ground", or "making substantial progress". These phrases all convey the idea of noticeable advancement.

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

Yes, "making significant headway" is suitable for formal writing. It's a clear and professional way to communicate that substantial progress is being made in a project or initiative.

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

"Making progress" indicates movement forward, while "making significant headway" implies more substantial or noteworthy advancement. The latter emphasizes the degree of progress being made.