# process

/ˈpɹɑˌsɛs/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/process
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. series of steps

noun · CEFR A2 · General-service

a series of actions or steps you take to achieve a particular result.

For teachers: a systematic series of actions, events, or steps directed to some end.

- The application process for a new passport usually takes about six weeks.
- The legislative process is often slow, requiring multiple rounds of debate and committee reviews before a bill becomes law.

### 2. computing task

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

a program or task that a computer is currently running.

For teachers: an instance of a computer program that is being executed by one or many threads.

- My computer is slow because there are too many processes running at once.
- The operating system terminated the background process because it was consuming an excessive amount of system memory.

### 3. legal documents

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal · Technical

official papers from a court, like a summons to appear in front of a judge.

For teachers: the whole course of proceedings in a legal action; specifically, the mandate or writ by which a defendant is brought into court.

- He was served with legal process and had to appear in court on Tuesday.
- The defendant claimed that the service of process was defective, arguing that he never personally received the summons.

### 4. anatomy

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a part of the body that grows out from a main part, like a piece of bone.

For teachers: a natural appendage or outgrowth on or in an organism, such as a protuberance on a bone.

- The doctor explained that the muscle attaches to a small process on the spine.
- The transverse processes of the vertebrae serve as important attachment points for various ligaments and spinal muscles.

### 5. to handle or prepare

verb · CEFR B1

to deal with something using a set of official steps or a machine.

For teachers: to subject to a particular method, system, or series of actions of manufacture or inquiry.

- The bank will process your loan application as soon as they receive your ID.
- The facility is designed to process several tons of raw timber every hour, turning logs into finished planks for construction.

Usage: Transitive verb taking a direct object.

### 6. to understand information

verb · CEFR B2

to think about new information so that you can understand it.

For teachers: to cognitively integrate or assimilate new information or emotional experiences.

- I need a few minutes to process what you just told me.
- It took the witnesses several days to fully process the traumatic events they had observed during the accident.

### 7. to walk in a line

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to walk slowly in a formal group or parade.

For teachers: to move in a formal or ceremonial procession.

- The choir began to process into the church at the start of the service.
- The graduates processed slowly across the stage to receive their diplomas while the orchestra played a traditional march.

Usage: Intransitive verb.

## Examples

- Learning a new language is a slow process.
- The company is changing its hiring process to ensure all candidates get a fair interview.
- Although the initial design phase was chaotic, the creative process eventually yielded a brilliant architectural blueprint that satisfied both the clients and the city planners.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.