progressive

pro·gres·sive | \ prə-ˈgre-siv

Definition of progressive

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : of, relating to, or characterized by progress

b : making use of or interested in new ideas, findings, or opportunities

c : of, relating to, or constituting an educational theory marked by emphasis on the individual child, informality of classroom procedure, and encouragement of self-expression

2 : of, relating to, or characterized by progression

3 : moving forward or onward : advancing

4a : increasing in extent or severity a progressive disease

b : increasing in rate as the base increases a progressive tax

5 often capitalized : of or relating to political Progressives

6 : of, relating to, or constituting a verb form that expresses action or state in progress at the time of speaking or a time spoken of

7 : of, relating to, or being a multifocal lens with a gradual transition between focal lengths progressive bifocals

8 : or, relating to, or using a method of video scanning (as for television or a computer monitor) in which the horizontal lines of each frame are drawn successively from top to bottom — compare interlaced

progressive

noun

Definition of progressive (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : one that is progressive

b : one believing in moderate political change and especially social improvement by governmental action

2 capitalized : a member of any of various U.S. political parties: such as

a : a member of a predominantly agrarian minor party that around 1912 split off from the Republicans specifically : bull moose

b : a follower of Robert M. La Follette in the presidential campaign of 1924

c : a follower of Henry A. Wallace in the presidential campaign of 1948

Other Words from progressive Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about progressive

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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: Adjective Alzheimer’s is a fatal and progressive brain disease that affects memory, thinking and behavior. — cleveland, "A new mural on the Coventry PEACE Park lot; a virtual Jewish Federation Super Sunday Oct. 18; more: Press Run," 9 Oct. 2020 Katko has campaigned heavily on painting Balter as too progressive for the district, comparing her to someone more along the political visions of Sen. Bernie Sanders than Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. — Mica Soellner, Washington Examiner, "New York Democrat hits John Katko after Republican House member paints himself as Trump ally," 7 Oct. 2020 Some liberals, however, fear that Democrats who give to the Lincoln Project are naïvely funding savvy operatives who could end up splitting their party into progressive and centrist factions. — Paige Williams, The New Yorker, "Inside the Lincoln Project’s War Room," 5 Oct. 2020 His franchise is one of the more progressive in the league, the only NFL team with an African-American general manager (Chris Grier) and an African-American coach (Brian Flores). — Jarrett Bell, USA TODAY, "Opinion: Some NFL owners send mixed messages with political support for Trump," 1 Oct. 2020 San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin has made a decidedly political choice for his new chief of staff, bringing in fellow progressive and former Supervisor David Campos, who is also chairman of the Democratic County Central Committee. — Phil Matier, SFChronicle.com, "Campos signs on at S.F. DA’s office — how’s that jive with DCCC chairmanship?," 27 Sep. 2020 But in today’s more progressive and enlightened legal culture, someone who abuses alcohol or drugs and commits violence is less guilty, not more. — Michael Washburn, National Review, "Standing Up for Canada’s Most Vulnerable," 26 Sep. 2020 The Society of Women Engineers awarded Jayshree Seth, of 3M, its annual Achievement Award for her significant and progressive technical contributions in her profession. — Staff Reports Star Tribune, Star Tribune, "Business people," 26 Sep. 2020 Clear majorities of Americans support several liberal and progressive policy proposals, too. — Bryan Schott, The Salt Lake Tribune, "Mitt Romney says America is a ‘center-right’ nation. Is that true?," 23 Sep. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Hunter, 61, is running against a former prosecutor who’s garnered the mayor's endorsement, Keva Landrum, and Jason Williams, a progressive whose City Council tenure has given him high name recognition. — Matt Sledge, NOLA.com, "After 23 years on the bench, Arthur Hunter mounts bid for DA," 12 Oct. 2020 Biden, during his long career in the Senate, was hardly a consistent and ardent progressive. — The Editors, The New Yorker, "The New Yorker Endorses a Biden Presidency," 28 Sep. 2020 The intensifying demands mirror larger changes in Democratic politics and the progressive left, which have accelerated in the Trump era. — Astead W. Herndon, chicagotribune.com, "Minneapolis City Council pledged they were going to defund the police. They did not.," 26 Sep. 2020 The intensifying demands mirror larger changes in Democratic politics and the progressive left, which have accelerated in the Trump era. — New York Times, "How a Pledge to Dismantle the Minneapolis Police Collapsed," 26 Sep. 2020 That led the late downtown Alderman Burton Natarus to describe himself as a ward janitor, while former council progressive Joe Moore called the body a Midwestern version of the Soviet politburo. — Mick Dumke, ProPublica, "When Is a Meeting Not a Meeting and a Lawmaker Not a Lawmaker? When It’s Lori Lightfoot’s Chicago.," 24 Sep. 2020 In particular, the progressive left’s reliance on experts to the increasing exclusion of citizen input, centralizes policy to an elite few. — WSJ, "The Law Gives Power to the People, Not to Mere Experts," 13 Sep. 2020 Harris has never been embraced by some elements of the progressive left due to her background as a California prosecutor and attorney general. — Kathleen Ronayne And Jonathan Lemire, Star Tribune, "Trump, struggling to define Biden, steps up Harris attacks," 10 Sep. 2020 To disagree with a progressive is so deeply, personally unfair to him or her. — Michael Washburn, National Review, "Postmodernist American Writers and 9/11," 10 Sep. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'progressive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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