ENGLISH
REFERENCE

underway

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˌəndɝˈweɪ// UK //ˌʌndəwˈeɪ// un·der·way

adj. happening now or already in progress. You use this to say that a project, journey, or event has started and is moving forward.

adj. currently in progress or being carried out. Typically follows a linking verb and describes an activity, process, or journey that has already commenced.


SIMPLE

The construction of the new bridge is finally underway.

CONTEXTUAL

Preparations for the annual festival are already underway, with volunteers setting up tents in the park.

COMPLEX

While the investigation is currently underway, officials have declined to comment on the specific evidence gathered from the scene until the final report is published.

Synonyms
Etymology 1

Calque of Dutch onderweg (“underway”), equivalent to under- + way. Compare also German unterwegs.

Etymology 2

From under + way.

Usage

Primarily used as a predicative adjective following a linking verb like 'be' or 'get'; it rarely precedes the noun it modifies.

Pitfall

an underway projecta project that is underwayUnderway is almost always used after a verb, not before a noun.

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