# progressively

/pɹɑˈɡɹɛsɪvɫi/ (US) · /pɹəɡɹˈɛsɪvli/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/progressively
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. increasingly over time

adverb · CEFR B2

happening step by step or becoming more and more of something as time passes.

For teachers: in a manner characterized by gradual, steady, or continuous increase or development.

- The symptoms of the illness became progressively worse throughout the week.
- As the economic crisis deepened, the government found it progressively difficult to maintain public services without increasing taxes.

### 2. in a sequence

adverb · CEFR C1 · Academic

moving forward through a series of steps or stages.

For teachers: occurring as part of a logical or chronological progression or sequence.

- The students moved progressively through the levels of the language course.
- The curriculum is designed to introduce complex concepts progressively, ensuring that foundational knowledge is solidified before moving to advanced theory.

## Examples

- The weather became progressively colder as we climbed the mountain.
- The company's software became progressively more complex as they added new features every month.
- The patient's condition improved progressively throughout the week, allowing the medical team to reduce the dosage of his medication by Friday morning.

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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.