pro·gres·sive
prə-ˈgre-siv 
1
: of, relating to, or characterized by progress: such as
a
: using, involving, or interested in new or modern ideas
a technologically progressive company
In the face of threats to employment, some progressive thinkers advocate jettisoning our work ethic and building a world without work.—
Jean-Philippe Deranty
Jean-Philippe DerantyAnd throughout 13 films and five TV series, the Star Trek franchise has produced some of the most thoughtful, progressive, and groundbreaking moments of modern entertainment—including, most famously, the first interracial kiss on television.—Matt Miller
Matt MillerWith updated uniforms—cargo and capri pants—and merit badges that emphasize computer skills and car repair, Christie Ach says, the [Girl Scouts] organization continues the progressive traditions forged in 1912 when founder Juliette Gordon Low encouraged her troop of proper Southern belles to don bloomers and play basketball.—Peg Tyre
Peg Tyre
b
: characterized by continuous improvement or advancement
For the making of this nation there had to be … the progressive development of its institutions of government.—John W. Dafoe
John W. DafoeExperience has taught me that we are progressive beings, so it's only natural to want to escape a place of complacency, struggle or dissatisfaction and walk into a new, unfamiliar realm to see what opportunities await us.—Ifonia Jean
Ifonia Jean2
a
: of, relating to, or favoring a philosophy of political progressivism (see progressivism sense 1) : supporting or promoting the advancement of the public good through government action
progressive politicians
especially
: calling for government to be used to meet popular social, political, economic, and environmental needs and demands and to advance rights and protections for marginalized groups
… progressive policies such as single-payer health care, robust action on climate change and student debt cancellation continue to poll high among Democratic voters, drawing majority support in some states. —Astead W. Herndon
Astead W. Herndon
b
Progressive
: of or constituting a political party professing the principles of progressivism
ran as the Progressive candidate
—usually used in the capitalized names of specific political partiesthe Vermont Progressive Party
the Progressive Party of the Maldives
3
: of, relating to, or constituting an educational theory or doctrine marked by emphasis on the individual child, informality of classroom procedure, and encouragement of self-expression
And the school appeared to be a happy place. Its pedagogical model was progressive—"child centered"—based on learning through experience.—George Packer
George PackerThe new curriculum in Virginia was vintage progressive education in that it sought to replace traditional subject matter with real-life problem solving.—Diane Ravitch
—sometimes used in combinationDiane RavitchThe basic conviction that children grow best when adults grant them space, time, and agency is central to many progressive-education models.—Conor Williams
Conor Williams4
: of, relating to, or characterized by progression : occurring or arranged in a series or sequence (as of actions, events, or stages)
progressive increases in prices
The individual advances through progressive exercises that correspond to the stages of healing.—Sea & Shore
Sea & Shore… a theory of genetic programming, in which humpbacks are hardwired to make progressive changes in their songs.—Annick Smith
Annick Smith5
a
: moving forward or onward : advancing
… the overall progressive motion of the cold front.—Picayune (Mississippi) Item
Picayune (Mississippi) Item
b
: marked by movement or progression from one place to another
especially, of a meal
: having its courses at different locations
This is a cuisine that fuels hot-headed opinions over the best place to eat. One answer is the progressive dinner, with each course at a different restaurant. —Phyllis C. Richman
Phyllis C. Richman 6
a
: increasing in extent or severity
a progressive disease
b
: increasing in rate as the tax base increases
a progressive tax
In a graduated—or progressive—tax structure, people who earn more money pay higher rates on their income.—Ted Slowik
Ted Slowik7
grammar
: of, relating to, or constituting a verb form that expresses an action or state in progress at the time of speaking or a time spoken of
"Am seeing," "have been seeing," and "will be seeing" are progressive forms of the verb see.
8
: of, relating to, having, or being a multifocal lens with a gradual transition between focal lengths
eyeglasses with progressive lenses
9
: of, relating to, or using a method of video scanning (as for television or a computer monitor) in which the horizontal lines of each frame (see frame entry 1 sense 4b(4)) are drawn successively from top to bottom
Progressive scanning is considered superior to interlaced scanning for … video displays, because there is less jitter, particularly for the portrayal of objects that move diagonally or vertically across the screen.—Tim O'Leary
Tim O'Leary
progressively
adverb
getting progressively easier
progressiveness
noun
a town known for its progressiveness
plural progressives
1
: someone who is progressive: such as
a
: an adherent or advocate of the philosophy of political progressivism (see progressivism sense 1) : someone who advocates for or values the advancement of the public good through government action
Progressives traditionally have favored a more regulated and redistributive economy and a certain degree of national economic planning.—Benjamin Barber
Benjamin BarberLiberals and progressives are understandably concerned that the First Amendment not become a cloak for plutocracy.—Kathleen Sullivan
Kathleen SullivanIt seems to me that traditional "liberals" in our current parlance are those who focus on using taxpayer money to help better society. And "progressives" are those who focus on using government power to make large institutions play by a set of rules.—David Sirota
David Sirota"I think frankly, it is very hard to be a real progressive—and to take on the establishment in a way that I think has to be taken—when you become … dependent … on Wall Street or drug-company money," [Senator Bernie] Sanders told reporters in a video circulated by his campaign.—Clare Foran
Clare ForanIn many ways, the president's willingness to support strict border policies similar to those employed by his predecessor—and loathed by progressives and human rights advocates—reflects a seismic shift in the politics of immigration over the past several years.—Camilo Montoya-Galvez
Camilo Montoya-Galvez
b
often Progressive plural Progressives
: a member of a Progressive political party
Under the leadership of Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Robert La Follette, and William Jennings Bryan, the Progressives preached "efficiency," "good government," "bipartisanship," and the "scientific management" of public affairs, and declared war on "bossism."—Christopher Lasch
Christopher LaschIn the 20th century, progressives cleaned up and expanded government … and experimented with different practical and heavily compromised ways of addressing the Great Depression.—Jonathan Alter
Jonathan AlterThe Progressives created nonpartisan civic organizations in part as a counterweight to what they saw as the excessive power of political parties, and the reforms of that era actually reduced voter turnout.—Paul Starr
Paul Starr2
: a person who favors a progressive (see progressive entry 1 sense 3) educational theory or doctrine
Progressivism, which probably made its greatest impact on American schooling during the Depression, stressed a child-centered curriculum that rejected "rote learning and authoritarian discipline." … Progressives emphasized instead the "natural" interests of children and adolescents (like the movies), while arguing for extending education beyond the classroom …—Eric Smoodin
Eric SmoodinThese progressives contributed to the development of large public school systems intended to provide all students, rich and poor, with access to a public education that would enable them to realize their individual potential …—Elih Sutisna Yanto and Junjun Muhamad Ramdani
Elih Sutisna Yanto and Junjun Muhamad Ramdani3
progressives
: eyeglasses with multifocal lenses having a gradual transition between focal lengths
Synonyms
Examples of progressive in a Sentence
Adjective
the progressive movements of the hands of a clock
progressive forms of animal life
Noun
“Believe” is never used in the progressive.
Recent Examples on the Web
Tope Folarin, The Atlantic, 21 Nov. 2024
Led by Rashida Jones, the network also has tried to capitalize on its progressive fan base, starting a live-event series that included the all-day MSNBC Live: Democracy 2024 in Brooklyn in September.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 20 Nov. 2024
Michael J. Petrilli, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2024
At the same time, many American progressives and others have been demanding the U.S. suspend arm shipments to Israel altogether because of the death toll among Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
—Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for progressive 
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Adjective
Read: Why did this progressive evangelical church fall apart?
—Tope Folarin, The Atlantic, 21 Nov. 2024
Led by Rashida Jones, the network also has tried to capitalize on its progressive fan base, starting a live-event series that included the all-day MSNBC Live: Democracy 2024 in Brooklyn in September.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 20 Nov. 2024
Noun
The philosophical question is whether progressives and conservatives should welcome affirmative action for kids who overcame disadvantages in their youth—especially what’s often the most difficult disadvantage of all: growing up in a single-parent family.
—Michael J. Petrilli, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2024
At the same time, many American progressives and others have been demanding the U.S. suspend arm shipments to Israel altogether because of the death toll among Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
—Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for progressive
Articles Related to progressive
Dictionary Entries Near progressive
Cite this Entry
“Progressive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/progressive. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
progressive
1 of 2 adjective
pro·gres·sive
prə-ˈgres-iv
1
a
: of, relating to, or showing progress or progression
b
: making use of or interested in new ideas
a progressive city
c
: of or relating to an educational theory emphasizing informal classrooms and encouraging self-expression
a progressive school
2
a
: moving forward or onward : advancing
the progressive movements of the hands of a clock
b
: spreading and becoming worse
a progressive disease
c
: increasing in rate as the base amount increases
a progressive tax
3
: of, relating to, or being a verb form that expresses action or state in progress at the time of speaking or a time spoken of
am seeing and is being seen are progressive forms
progressively
adverb
progressiveness
noun
progressive
2 of 2 noun
: a person believing in gradual political change and social improvement by government action
Medical Definition
progressive
adjective
pro·gres·sive
prə-ˈgres-iv
1
: increasing in extent or severity
a progressive disease
2
: of, relating to, or being a multifocal lens with a gradual transition between focal lengths
progressive bifocals
progressively
adverb
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