What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
advance
Example
The army advanced towards the enemy's territory. [advance: verb]
Example
I have made a lot of advances in my research on cancer treatment. [advances: noun]
Example
We need to advance our technology to stay competitive. [advance: verb]
progress
Example
We are making progress on the construction of the new building. [progress: noun]
Example
She is progressing well in her piano lessons. [progressing: verb]
Example
Our company has progressed significantly in the last year. [progressed: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Progress is more commonly used than advance in everyday language. Progress is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while advance is less common and often used in more specialized fields.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between advance and progress?
Both advance and progress can be used in formal and informal contexts, but advance is more commonly used in technical or specialized contexts, which may make it sound more formal.
