to pave one's way - Glite Dictionary

Examples

Many young artists struggle to pave their way in the competitive world of music.
He took extra courses to pave his way for a promotion at work.
She is trying to pave her way in the industry.
Are you ready to pave your way in life?
He took extra courses to pave his way for a promotion at work.
Many young artists struggle to pave their way in the competitive world of music.
She worked hard to pave her way to a successful career in medicine.

Synonyms

to make it

vsto pave one's way

Informal

207 3.4

To become very successful in a job or career

focuses on creating future opportunities for success rather than just becoming successful

to pave the way

vsto pave one's way

56 3.7

Make it possible or easier for something to happen by getting things ready

creates personal opportunities to gain progress or career success

to make something of oneself

vsto pave one's way

35 4.9

To become successful and have a better life by working hard

focuses on creating opportunities for one's progress instead of only the final success

to carve a path

vsto pave one's way

1 4.2

To make a way through something, physically or by creating new opportunities

focuses on making chances for personal success rather than opening routes

to make one's way

vsto pave one's way

3.4

To move forward through a place despite problems

creates opportunities proactively for progress rather than just moving forward

Antonyms

to block

∞ 3.0

To stop movement, access, or progress

to hinder

75 3.6

To make it difficult for people or things to do something

How Prepared

to open doors

53 3.2

to pave one's way

5.4

to set the stage

42 3.9

to lay the foundation

34 3.9

to cultivate good relationships

3.5

Surface Forms

pave one's way infinitive

paved one's way past

paved one's way past participle

paving one's way present participle

paves one's way third person singular

Morphology

pave + one + way

The meaning 'to create opportunities or make progress easier' is a direct metaphoric extension of 'pave' (to lay a surface/make smooth) + 'way' (path); a learner who knows both words can infer that one is making a path or conditions easier. This imagery is common cross-linguistically (e.g., Spanish 'preparar el camino', French 'ouvrir la voie'), so a B1 learner would likely understand it from the constituents.

Etymology

Pave one's way comes from the picture of someone laying stones or bricks to make a smooth way ahead, because to pave is to cover a road and make travel easier. That's why today it means 'to create opportunities or make progress'.