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headway

headway

34 5.6
Progress toward a goal, often slowly and with effort
  • noun
  • /ˈhɛdˌweɪ/
translation icon : progreso
  • Plunging in, I started making headway into the world of counterterrorism.
  • make headway
  • little headway
  • much headway

And there was one problem that we worked on for three hours and we made no headway whatsoever.

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Examples

  • I think we're making some headway.

  • Fortunately, though, I did eventually make some headway with my inquiries.

    Academic text (1998)
  • And, and I think we made some serious headway with these people.

  • I think we're making significant headway in many, many areas.

  • - You certainly are making quite a bit of headway in this office.

  • But we have made some headway.

  • In the interim, women continued to make headway in the sport.

    Academic text (1998)
  • But researchers from Caltech have now made headway on the second point.

  • Now that we've made so much headway in creating pieces, the next step is to do the market research and find out what it is people want.

  • We are making significant headway on the project despite the challenges.

Synonyms

progress
vsheadway
2.5

Forward change toward a goal or better state

focuses on moving despite obstacles rather than just improving
advance
vsheadway
329 3.1

Progress toward a goal or a new discovery

highlights movement made while overcoming resistance or difficulty
stride
vsheadway
49 4.1

Important progress toward a goal

describes continual movement toward a goal when facing obstacles
forward motion
vsheadway
6 3.7

The act of going ahead toward a goal

emphasizes gains achieved despite obstacles rather than mere movement
onward motion
vsheadway
3.8

Going forward toward a goal or place

stresses moving while overcoming obstacles rather than simple travel

Antonyms

148 3.6

A problem that delays progress or makes things worse

1 6.5

Still water that does not move in pipes or lakes, causing poor quality

How Much Progress

breakthrough
242 3.9
headway
34 5.6
progress
2.5
stagnation
19 6.8

Surface Forms

headway singular
headways plural

Morphology

headway = head + way (semi-transparent) = head + way

The sense is a metaphorical extension of spatial 'way' (movement/space) to abstract progress; the composition is visible but the meaning is idiomatic.

Etymology

Headway comes from sailing, where a boat 'made headway' when it moved its front forward through the water. That's why headway now means 'progress' or moving forward toward a goal, especially when there are obstacles.