progressively

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "progressively" is correct and can be used in written English.
It is an adverb that can be used to describe an action that is increasing or happening at a faster rate over time. For example, "The company's profits have grown progressively over the past five years."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

MND progressively weakens the muscles until the sufferer cannot do anything by himself.

The Guardian

Now that this demographic has been progressively stripped out of the Labour party, it's not surprising we are left with too many nice people with their artfully phrased "offers" to the voters.

The Guardian - Opinion

The existing limits to tax relief Both Labour and Tory chancellors have progressively reduced the amount the very well-off can gain in tax relief.

The Guardian - Money

Teaching students that "it's fine not to get everything right", the scheme includes tests that get progressively harder within a time limit, preventing pupils from answering all of the questions.

The Guardian

But O'Donnell clears Labour of a conspiracy to mislead, saying: "Policy was progressively developed that HMG should do all it could, whilst respecting devolved competences, to facilitate an appeal by the Libyans to the Scottish government for Megrahi's release under the prisoner transfer agreement or release on compassionate grounds as the best outcome for managing the risks faced by the UK".

The Guardian

The loss of income is likely to leave some countries progressively indebted to resource-hungry China.

The Guardian

The state's stake has fallen from 25% to 19% in a little less than four months and the public purse has been receiving progressively better prices for its shares.

The Guardian - Business

But still, even as the morality police units grew in number, manteaus continued to grow progressively shorter and tighter, sleeves shrank, and a new technique emerged to hang the headscarf on a small, pointy bun on the back of women's heads.

The Guardian

John O'Doherty, director of the Rainbow Project, which lobbies for gay rights in Northern Ireland, said the report was "startling" and showed that negative perceptions in Northern Ireland about lesbian, gay and bisexual people were getting progressively worse.

The Guardian

I feel as if politics has got progressively more tactical in the time I've been involved, and less about ideas.

The Guardian

"There is a greater recognition of the challenges presented by autism especially in the social setting and also my social skills have progressively improved over the years".

The Guardian - Business

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "progressively" to emphasize a continuous and gradual change over time, especially when describing processes, developments, or increasing trends. For example, "The software was progressively updated with new features."

Common error

Avoid using "progressively" when a simpler adverb like "increasingly" or "gradually" would suffice. Overusing it can make your writing sound unnecessarily verbose or formal.

Linguistic Context

The adverb "progressively" primarily functions to modify verbs, indicating that an action is happening or increasing gradually over time. It describes how an action unfolds, emphasizing its continuous and incremental nature, as demonstrated by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

46%

Formal & Business

27%

Science

27%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "progressively" is an adverb used to describe gradual or increasing changes over time. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and wide applicability. It's particularly useful for emphasizing continuous and incremental processes, as illustrated by the many examples provided. While suitable for formal writing, simpler alternatives might be preferable in less formal contexts. The phrase sees frequent use in news, business, and scientific writing, signifying its versatility across various domains.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

increasingly

Focuses on the increasing nature of the change, rather than the step-by-step aspect.

gradually

Emphasizes the slow and steady nature of the change.

step by step

Highlights the sequential nature of the progress.

more and more

Indicates an increase in quantity or degree over time.

in stages

Suggests a planned or structured progression.

over time

Broadly indicates that change happens across a duration.

in increments

Highlights small, measured increases.

by degrees

Implies a slow and subtle progression.

evolvingly

Suggests a natural and organic development.

in a phased manner

Emphasizes a structured and planned progression with distinct phases.

FAQs

How can I use "progressively" in a sentence?

"Progressively" is an adverb that describes something happening or increasing gradually over time. For example, "The situation became "progressively worse"" or "The company "progressively invested" in new technologies."

What are some alternatives to using "progressively"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "increasingly", "gradually", "steadily", or "step by step".

Is it correct to use "progressively" in formal writing?

Yes, "progressively" is suitable for formal writing. It's a clear and precise way to describe a gradual change or development.

What is the difference between "progressively" and "gradually"?

Both words indicate a slow change, but "progressively" often implies a sense of advancement or improvement, while "gradually" simply indicates a slow, step-by-step change without necessarily implying improvement. You could use "The pain subsided gradually" but "The software was progressively improved".