to gain ground
16
4.0
- phrasal verb
- /ɡeɪn ɡraʊnd/
:
ganar terreno
- With each successful project, she felt she was gaining ground in her career.
- beginning to gain ground
The Conservatives lost ground amongst Remainers and gained ground amongst Leavers.
- The Conservatives lost ground amongst Remainers and gained ground amongst Leavers.
- He says that as the science has developed farther, the notion has gained ground that most, perhaps all, of our laws are only approximations.
- And then and then just, it would be sort of trying to gain ground back.
- You know, that we all do as writers trying to claw and stay and and gain ground and lose ground.
- Like whether or not, you know, the communism is gaining ground or losing ground as a, as a kind of loose term of the world that we live in.
Examples
-
The new policy has helped the company gain ground in the competitive market.
-
By the end of 2002, however, the plan's advocates were gaining ground.
Academic text (2003) -
On the news they said the U.S. is really starting to gain ground over there.
-
The Social Democratic Party in Germany was gaining ground and beginning to do extremely well at elections as well.
-
And do you see, since it's been published, is that argument gaining ground among Muslims?
-
The final theory began as a minority report but gained ground steadily.
-
The industry, although gaining ground, has hardly begun to realize its market potential.
Academic text (1991) -
Catering to investors' demands and preferences is an effective way to gain ground among competitors.
Academic text (2008) -
A similar trend has developed in Eastern Europe, where Euroskeptics have gained ground.
Academic text (2006) -
There's no denying that the movement toward commercialization is gaining ground in the United States.
Academic text (1998)
Synonyms
417
3.4
To help something move forward or become better
83
3.4
Do better than others, for example at work or school
15
4.1
To start moving faster while also growing stronger and gaining support over time
9
3.5
To make slow progress when it is difficult
9
4.2
Begin to be accepted or used by many people
1
4.6
To get closer to a goal
How Successful
48
3.7
1
6.1
16
4.0
417
3.4
9
3.5
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'to make progress' follows directly from combining 'gain' (to obtain or secure) with 'ground' understood as a position or advantage; the compositional logic (obtain position) yields the MWE meaning. This metaphorical extension from physical ground to positional advantage is common across languages (e.g., Spanish 'ganar terreno'), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will likely infer the expression.
Etymology
Gain ground comes from the simple image of moving forward over land, where an army or team slowly takes more ground as it gains space. That's why it now means 'to make progress' or 'become more successful'.