substantive progress

USAGE SUMMARY

"substantive progress" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to significant or important progress made in a particular task or field of work. For example: "The team has made substantive progress in developing the new design."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"And there will be no substantive progress without comprehensively addressing the issue of migration".

The New York Times

But there has been little substantive progress recently towards reaching a final agreement.

The Guardian

Substantive progress on agriculture is central to winning over developing countries.

The Guardian - Business

Despite good intentions, procrastination and prevarication to date have meant no substantive progress.

The Guardian

For substantive progress in this emerging research arena, animal brain researchers need to discuss affective brain functions more openly.

Consciousness and Cognition

Advanced techniques and high-throughput protein analysis have led proteomics to substantive progress in the understanding of bacterial host interactions.

Advances in Protein Chemistry and Structural Biology

Referring to Friday's meeting, he said: "I don't have any expectation that we'll make any substantive progress.

The New York Times - Sports

The last meeting on the nuclear dispute, held in Baghdad last month, ended with no substantive progress.

The New York Times

And in that area, substantive progress has already been made during the Hollande term – blunder be damned.

The Guardian - Opinion

Finally, in order to examine substantive progress since Öst's review, recent outcome and process evidence was briefly examined.

Behaviour Research and Therapy

Experts said the speech kept the window open for diplomacy but didn't offer much hope for substantive progress.

The Washington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "substantive progress" to emphasize that the progress made is significant, real, and impactful, rather than superficial or minor. This highlights the importance of the advancement.

Common error

Avoid using "substantive progress" to describe minor or insignificant improvements. Overusing it diminishes its impact and suggests a lack of discernment regarding the actual importance of the achievement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "substantive progress" functions primarily as a noun phrase, where "substantive" acts as an adjective modifying the noun "progress". It denotes a significant and meaningful advancement, as confirmed by Ludwig AI and evidenced by the numerous examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

63%

Science

21%

Academia

6%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "substantive progress" is a commonly used phrase that signifies significant and meaningful advancements. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and its function as a noun phrase, emphasizing the real and impactful nature of progress. Predominantly found in News & Media and Scientific contexts, the phrase maintains a neutral to professional register. To enhance your writing, remember to use "substantive progress" to highlight impactful advancements and avoid using it for trivial improvements. Alternatives like "significant advancement" or "considerable development" can be used to add variety to your vocabulary. By understanding its nuances and usage patterns, you can effectively communicate the importance and impact of progress in various contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

significant advancement

Replaces "progress" with "advancement" and "substantive" with "significant", emphasizing the importance of the development.

considerable development

Uses "development" instead of "progress", highlighting the extent of the growth or change.

real improvement

Focuses on the positive change achieved, using "improvement" instead of "progress".

tangible gains

Emphasizes the concrete and measurable results of the progress.

meaningful headway

Replaces "progress" with "headway", suggesting forward movement of considerable value.

noticeable stride

Highlights a clear and evident step forward.

genuine growth

Focuses on authentic and verifiable expansion or development.

marked evolution

Suggests a significant transformation or unfolding.

substantial change

Emphasizes the magnitude of the alteration achieved.

major breakthrough

Highlights a significant advancement that overcomes a major obstacle.

FAQs

How to use "substantive progress" in a sentence?

You can use "substantive progress" to describe significant advancements in various fields. For example, "The team has made "substantive progress" in cancer research" or "Negotiations have shown "substantive progress" towards a peaceful resolution".

What can I say instead of "substantive progress"?

You can use alternatives like "significant advancement", "considerable development", or "real improvement" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "substantive progress" or "substantial progress"?

Both "substantive progress" and "substantial progress" are correct and often used interchangeably. "Substantive" emphasizes the real and meaningful nature of the progress, while "substantial" highlights the size or amount of progress. In most contexts, they convey a similar meaning.

What's the difference between "substantive progress" and "cosmetic changes"?

"Substantive progress" refers to meaningful and impactful advancements, while "cosmetic changes" are superficial and primarily aimed at improving appearance without addressing fundamental issues. The former represents real improvement, while the latter is often perceived as a temporary or inadequate solution.