advancement

1 a raising or a state of being raised to a higher rank or position <the young man's rapid advancement in the company came as no surprise to those who knew he was the president's nephew> Synonyms ascent, creation, elevation, preference, preferment, promotion, rise, upgrade, upgrading Related Words aggrandizement, ennoblement, exaltation, glorification, magnification Near Antonyms deposition, dethronement, discharge, dismissal, expulsion, impeachment, ouster, overthrow, removal, suspension, unmaking, unseating; downfall, fall Antonyms abasement, comedown, degradation, demotion, disrating, downgrade, reduction

2 an instance of notable progress in the development of knowledge, technology, or skill <science has made huge advancements in the field of genetics in recent years> Synonyms advance, breakthrough, enhancement, improvement, refinementRelated Words quantum leap; amelioration, boost, heightening, increase, melioration, strengthening, upgrade, uplift, upswing, uptrend, upturn; betterment, development, elaboration, evolution, expansion, gestation, growth, maturation, perfection, ripening; civilization, edification, education, enlightenment; renaissance, renascence, revival; discovery, find, windfall; innovation, inventionNear Antonyms breakdown, collapse, crash; hindrance, impediment, stumbling block; decadence, decay, declension, decline, decrease, degeneration, descent, deterioration, diminishment, downgrade, ebbing, failing, flagging, languishment, lapse, lessening, reduction, sinking, slowing, weakening, worsening; detriment, disablement, drawback, glitch, impairment, shortcomingAntonyms setback

3 forward movement in time or place <wondered why we hadn't made any advancement in the long checkout line for at least 10 minutes> Synonyms advance, furtherance, going, headway, march, onrush, passage, process, procession, progress, progressionRelated Words current, drift, flow, flux, stream, way; advent, approach, arrival, coming, nearing; bound, jump, leap, step, stride; impetus, momentumNear Antonyms backwash, ebb, reflux; retraction, return, reversal, reverse; about-face, turnabout, turnaroundAntonyms recess, recession, regress, regression, retreat, retrogression