Someone who is progressive or has progressive ideas has modern ideas about how things should be done, rather than traditional ones.
...a progressive businessman who had voted for Roosevelt in 1932 and 1936.
Willan was able to point to the progressive changes he had already introduced.
The children go to a progressive school.
Synonyms: enlightened, liberal, modern, advanced More Synonyms of progressive
A progressive is someone who is progressive.
The Republicans were deeply split between progressives and conservatives.
2. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
A progressive change happens gradually over a period of time.
One prominent symptom of the disease is progressive loss of memory.
...the progressive development of a common foreign and security policy.
Synonyms: growing, continuing, increasing, developing More Synonyms of progressive
progressivelyadverb [ADVERB with verb]
Her symptoms became progressively worse.
The amount of grant the council received was progressively reduced.
3. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
In grammar, progressive means the same as continuous.
More Synonyms of progressive
progressive in British English
(prəˈɡrɛsɪv)
adjective
1.
of or relating to progress
2.
proceeding or progressing by steps or degrees
3. (often capital)
favouring or promoting political or social reform through government action, or even revolution, to improve the lot of the majority
a progressive policy
4.
denoting or relating to an educational system that allows flexibility in learning procedures, based on activities determined by the needs and capacities of the individual child, the aim of which is to integrate academic with social development
5.
(of a tax or tax system) graduated so that the rate increases relative to the amount taxed
Compare regressive (sense 2)
6.
(esp of a disease) advancing in severity, complexity, or extent
7.
(of a dance, card game, etc) involving a regular change of partners after one figure, one game, etc
8.
denoting an aspect of verbs in some languages, including English, used to express prolonged or continuous activity as opposed to momentary or habitual activity
a progressive aspect of the verb "to walk" is "is walking."
noun
9.
a person who advocates progress, as in education, politics, etc
10.
a.
the progressive aspect of a verb
b.
a verb in this aspect
Derived forms
progressively (proˈgressively)
adverb
progressiveness (proˈgressiveness)
noun
progressivism (proˈgressivism)
noun
progressivist (proˈgressivist)
noun
Progressive in British English
(prəˈɡrɛsɪv)
noun
1. US history
a member or supporter of a Progressive Party
2. Canadian history
a member or supporter of a chiefly agrarian reform movement advocating the nationalization of railways, low tariffs, an end to party politics, and similar measures: important in the early 1920s
adjective
3.
of, relating to, or characteristic of a Progressive Party, Progressive movement, orProgressives
progressive in American English
(proʊˈgrɛsɪv; prəˈgrɛsɪv)
adjective
1.
moving forward or onward
2.
continuing by successive steps
a progressive decline
3.
of, or concerned with, progression
4.
designating a tax whose rate increases as the base increases
5.
a.
favoring, working for, or characterized by progress or improvement, as through political or social reform
b.
of or having to do with a person, movement, etc. thought of as being modern or advanced, as in ideas, methods, etc.
6. US
of an educational system stressing individuality, self-expression, etc.
7. Grammar
indicating continuing action or state, or action in progress: used as of certain verb forms(Ex: am working, as opposed to the simple form work)
8. Medicine
becoming more severe or spreading to other parts
said of a disease
9. [P-]; Politics
of a Progressive Party
noun
10.
a person who is progressive, esp. one who favors political progress or reform
11. [P-]
a member of a Progressive Party
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈliberal
Derived forms
progressively (proˈgressively)
adverb
progressiveness (proˈgressiveness)
noun
Word origin
MFr progressif < ML progressivus < L progressus: see progress
Examples of 'progressive' in a sentence
progressive
The company said that it planned to adopt a progressive dividend policy.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The progressive dividend looks under threat, too.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He still looks progressive and is the sort to enjoy a good all-weather campaign if kept on the go in the next few months.
The Sun (2016)
His GP told him his disease was progressive and incurable.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
A better way of going about it is progressive income tax, consumption tax and a taxpayerfunded supplement to low incomes.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
His progressive profile makes him a threat.
The Sun (2013)
The extra furlong should not be a problem and she looks progressive.
The Sun (2014)
The disease is often progressive and fatal.
McKenzie, James F. & Pinger, Robert R. An Introduction to Community Health (1995)
Nor do they amount to a progressive one.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
What has happened to the other wing of nominally progressive politics is more surprising.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
This is progressive rock at its most puritanical.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
He also said that it would maintain its progressive policy on dividends.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
That progressive dividend policy seems a good enough reason to hold them.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Did it promote efficiency and progressive change?
Divine, Robert A. (editor) & Breen, T. H & Frederickson, George M & Williams, R. Hal America Past and Present (1995)
In this context it is anxious to look progressive and enlightened.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It is a complete dead end for progressive politics.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Are we in the thick of a progressive rock revival without realising it?
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Only if earnings per share or profit before tax are progressive can a company claim to be successful.
Thompson, Sir Peter Sharing the Success - the story of NFC (1990)
But as the disease progresses so the repair in most patients will fail and that causes progressive disease.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The miner said that it would adopt a progressive dividend policy in future and maintain or increase the payout.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
There is a solution: a progressive taxation system combined with a creative system for tax allowances.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
His progressive social views did not mean he wished to allow Socialists a decisive voice in government.
Grenville, J. A. S. The Collins History of the World in the 20th Century (1994)
Long Run also boasts a progressive profile.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
They represent just a part of the modern British progressive politics that we need to advance.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
A firm commitment to a progressive dividend policy will aid share price stability.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Awesome Power also has a progressive profile and overcame a bad draw to win at Sandown.
The Sun (2015)
In other languages
progressive
British English: progressive ADJECTIVE
Someone who is progressive or has progressive ideas has modern ideas about how things should be done, rather than traditional ones.
...a progressive businessman.
American English: progressive
Brazilian Portuguese: progressivo
Chinese: 进步的
European Spanish: progresista
French: progressiste
German: progressiv
Italian: progressista
Japanese: 進歩的な
Korean: 진보적인
European Portuguese: progressivo
Latin American Spanish: progresista
All related terms of 'progressive'
past progressive
a verb form consisting of an auxiliary be in the past tense followed by a present participle and used esp. to indicate that an action or event was incomplete or in progress at a point of reference in the past, as was sleeping in I was sleeping when the phone rang
progressive dinner
a meal in which each course is served at the home of a different person
progressive jazz
an experimental , nonmelodic, and often free-flowing style of modern jazz , esp. in the form of highly dissonant , rhythmically complex orchestral arrangements
Progressive Party
a US political party, made up chiefly of dissident Republicans , that nominated Theodore Roosevelt as its presidential candidate in 1912 and supported primaries , progressive labour legislation , and other reforms
perfect progressive
a verb form including the auxiliary have followed by been and a present participle , noting the continuation of an activity or event, its incompleteness or interruption , and its connection to the temporal point of reference , as in I've been waiting for over an hour , They had been talking about her before she came into the room , or In July , he will have been living here for two years
present progressive
a verb form consisting of an auxiliary be in the present tense followed by a present participle and used esp. to indicate that a present action or event is in progress , being repeated , or of a temporary nature or to express the future
progressive education
an educational system that allows flexibility in learning procedures , based on activities determined by the needs and capacities of the individual child, the aim of which is to integrate academic with social development
progressive politics
Politics are the actions or activities concerned with achieving and using power in a country or society . The verb that follows politics may be either singular or plural .
Progressive Conservative
a member or supporter of the Progressive Conservative Party, a federal Canadian political party from 1942 to 2003
progressive cavity pump
A progressive cavity pump is a pump with an electric motor that rotates rods to make fluid in cavities move upward .
Progressive Federal Party
a political party, formed in 1977 by a merger between the Progressive Party and members of the United Party, supporting qualified franchise for all South Africans irrespective of race , colour, or creed ; merged with other parties in 1989 to form the Democratic Party
prog rock
a style of rock music originating in the 1970s and characterized by large-scale compositions, often on epic themes , in which musicians display instrumental virtuosity
Progressive Conservative Party
(in Canada ) a former major political party with conservative policies ; merged with the Conservative Party in 2003