progressive 1 of 2

adjective

prə-ˈgre-siv 
Definition of progressive
1
as in advanced
being far along in development progressive forms of animal life

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in liberal
not bound by traditional ways or beliefs a socially progressive community, it was the first to provide for the public education of girls

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in pioneering
being or employing the latest concepts, styles, or techniques one of the founders of progressive dance, Isadora Duncan became an inspiration to an array of free-spirited artists

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

progressive

2 of 2

noun

as in moderate

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of progressive
Adjective
Suddenly, residents and officials in red states and swing districts such as Texas, Mississippi and Ohio are echoing progressive leaders like Bernie Sanders in calling for pauses on new data centers. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2026 What is backed by decades of data — and what Sims recommends — is a strength training routine that includes progressive overload. — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 20 Aug. 2026
Noun
Abdul El-Sayed proved that a progressive can win a statewide Democratic primary in one of the nation's biggest battlegrounds. — Averi Harper, ABC News, 5 Aug. 2026 In this battleground district, Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, a centrist Democrat who has regularly broken with her party to work across the aisle, faces a challenge from Brent Hennrich, a progressive. — New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for progressive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for progressive
  1. advanced
  2. liberal
  3. pioneering
  4. moderate
  5. evolved
  6. modern
  7. unconventional
  8. reformer
Adjective
  • Once operational in late 2027, the facility is expected to produce about 12,000 metric tons of advanced polymer electrolyte each year, enough material for as much as 25 GWh of lithium-ion battery production.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 22 Aug. 2026
  • The vaccine, in combination with Keytruda , met key goals in patients with higher-risk or advanced melanoma whose detectable cancer had been completely removed through surgery.
    — Deena Zaidi, CNBC, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of advanced
Adjective
  • Americans and Europeans who identify as leftist or liberal tend to have fewer children than those who identify as conservative or right-leaning.
    — Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The three finalists are liberal strongholds surrounded by the type of suburban areas that have become increasingly important to the party in recent elections.
    — Mike Catalini, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of liberal
Adjective
  • Chester Zoo and the University of Liverpool teamed up to try the pioneering treatment on the 15-foot python after a cancerous tumor on the reptile’s jaw reappeared following surgery to remove it.
    — Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Wexler won an Oscar for his work, which included a pioneering 2-minute, 15-second Steadicam shot that trailed and then led David Carradine as the folk singer through a crowd of migrant workers.
    — Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of pioneering
Noun
  • The race has already inflamed tensions within the Democratic Party over how to energize liberal voters eager for unapologetic, combative candidates while not alienating independents and moderates who have been key to winning in battlegrounds.
    — Matt Brown, Fortune, 19 Aug. 2026
  • As the official media partner for the Summit (which is the flagship industry event of the Zurich Film Festival), Deadline covers and moderates panels, hosts the Deadline Studio for executive interviews, and provides on-the-ground reporting.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of moderate
Adjective
  • Dylan gives a subtle warning for Alex to stay away from Kylie, but Alex was still close to confessing his evolved feelings for her.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Chef Cristian Medrano’s menu exudes confidence in the form of evolved flavors with every dish.
    — Rafael Peña, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026
Definition of evolved
Adjective
  • Most people go to campgrounds to escape the plagues of modern technology, so try to keep the decibels to a minimum.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
  • During the Renaissance, Italians refined fencing into its modern form, and soon fencing schools began popping up all over Europe.
    — Rebecca Leib, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of modern
Adjective
  • Middlemarch George Eliot’s unconventional Victorian novel upends expectations while crafting a complex portrait of family and individual life in fictional Middlemarch, North Loamshire.
    — Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026
  • In it, Leó, a renowned geriatrician specialized in Alzheimer’s disease, develops an unconventional friendship with Ásdís, a psychiatrist who’s returned to Iceland to care for her ailing grandmother.
    — Annika Pham, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of unconventional
Noun
  • How did Infantino go from progressive reformer, the overseer of newly transparent and accountable FIFA, to the man who literally tried to sell the World Cup?
    — Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Two fuels, one engine At the heart of the demonstration is Amogy’s AMMDrive platform, which combines the company’s ammonia reformer with 2G Energy’s Agenitor 412 engine-generator.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of reformer

Browse Nearby Words

progressions
progressive
progressively
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Progressive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/progressive. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

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