advance
Americanverb (used with object)
-
advances,
present (3rd person singular)
-
advanced,
past participle, past
-
advancing
present participle
-
to move or bring forward.
The general advanced his troops to the new position.
- Antonyms:
- withdraw
-
to bring into consideration or notice; suggest; propose.
to advance reasons for a tax cut.
- Antonyms:
- withdraw
-
to improve; further.
to advance one's interests.
-
to raise in rank; promote.
The board of directors advanced him to president.
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to raise in rate or amount; increase.
to advance the price.
-
to bring forward in time; accelerate.
to advance growth;
to advance clocks one hour.
-
to supply beforehand; furnish on credit or before goods are delivered or work is done.
-
to furnish as part of a stock or fund.
-
to supply or pay in expectation of reimbursement.
They advanced her $5000 against future royalties.
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to schedule at a later time or date.
to advance a meeting from early to late fall.
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Informal. to do advance publicity for.
to advance a rock singer's personal appearances;
the most heavily advanced sports event in history.
-
Archaic. to raise, as a banner.
verb (used without object)
-
advances,
present (3rd person singular)
-
advanced,
past participle, past
-
advancing
present participle
-
to move or go forward; proceed.
The troops advanced.
- Antonyms:
- retreat
-
to increase in quantity, value, price, etc..
His stock advanced three points.
-
(of a color, form, etc., on a flat surface) to move toward or be perceived as moving toward an observer, especially as giving the illusion of space.
-
to improve or make progress.
-
to grow or rise in importance, status, etc..
to advance in rank.
- Antonyms:
- decrease
-
Informal. to provide publicity; do promotion.
He was hired to advance for a best-selling author.
noun
-
advances
plural
-
a forward movement; progress in space.
the advance of the troops to the border.
-
promotion; improvement in importance, rank, etc..
his advance to the position of treasurer.
- Synonyms:
- advancement, growth
-
Usually advances.
-
attempts at forming an acquaintanceship, reaching an agreement, or the like, made by one party.
-
actions or words intended to be sexually inviting.
-
-
addition to price; rise in price.
an advance on cottons.
-
Commerce.
-
a giving beforehand; a furnishing of something before an equivalent is received.
An advance on his next month's salary permitted him to pay his debt on time.
-
the money or goods thus furnished.
He received $100 as an advance against future delivery.
-
-
Journalism.
-
copy prepared before the event it describes has occurred.
The morning papers carried advances on the ceremony, which will take place tonight.
-
a press release, wire-service dispatch, or the like, as one containing the text or partial text of a speech, sent to arrive in advance of the event to which it is related.
-
-
the leading body of an army.
- Synonyms:
- spearhead, van, vanguard, advance guard
-
Military. (formerly) the order or a signal to advance.
-
Informal.
-
publicity done before the appearance of a noted person, a public event, etc..
She was hired to do advance for the candidate.
-
a person hired to do advance publicity for an event.
He is regarded as the best advance in the business.
-
-
Automotive, Machinery. an adjustment made in the setting of the distributor of an internal-combustion engine to generate the spark for ignition in each cylinder earlier in the cycle.
-
Geology. a seaward movement of the shoreline.
adjective
-
going or placed before.
an advance section of a train.
-
made or given ahead of time.
an advance payment on a loan.
-
issued ahead of time.
an advance copy of the president's speech.
-
having gone beyond others or beyond the average.
idioms
-
in advance of, in front of; before.
Heralds walked in advance of the king.
-
in advance, ahead of time; beforehand.
You must get your tickets in advance.
verb
-
to go or bring forward in position
-
(foll by on) to move (towards) in a threatening manner
-
(tr) to present for consideration; suggest
-
to bring or be brought to a further stage of development; improve; further
-
(tr) to cause (an event) to occur earlier
-
(tr) to supply (money, goods, etc) beforehand, either for a loan or as an initial payment
-
to increase (a price, value, rate of occurrence, etc) or (of a price, etc) to be increased
-
(intr) to improve one's position; be promoted
he advanced rapidly in his job
-
archaic (tr) to promote in rank, status, or position
noun
-
forward movement; progress in time or space
-
improvement; progress in development
-
commerce
-
the supplying of commodities or funds before receipt of an agreed consideration
-
the commodities or funds supplied in this manner
-
( as modifier )
an advance supply
-
-
Also called: advance payment. a money payment made before it is legally due
this is an advance on your salary
-
a loan of money
-
an increase in price, value, rate of occurrence, etc
-
a less common word for advancement
-
-
beforehand
payment in advance
-
(foll by of) ahead in time or development
ideas in advance of the time
-
-
(modifier) forward in position or time
advance booking
an advance warning
Synonym Usage
Advance, move on, proceed all imply movement forward. Advance applies to forward movement, especially toward an objective: to advance to a platform. Proceed emphasizes movement, as from one place to another, and often implies continuing after a halt: to proceed on one's journey. Move on is similar in meaning to proceed; it does not, however, imply a definite goal: The crowd was told to move on.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
advancesimple
-
advancessimple
-
have advancedperfect
-
has advancedperfect
-
am advancingprogressive
-
are advancingprogressive
-
is advancingprogressive
-
have been advancingperfect progressive
-
has been advancingperfect progressive
Past
-
advancedsimple
-
had advancedperfect
-
was advancingprogressive
-
were advancingprogressive
-
had been advancingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of advance
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English avauncen, from Anglo-French, Old French avanc(i)er, from Vulgar Latin abantiāre (unrecorded), verb derived from Late Latin abante “in front (of ),” from Latin ab “away from, off” + ante “before”; ad- by mistaking a- for a- 5 in the 16th century
Explanation
The experience of having a wild monkey advance on you is pretty scary. The verb advance means "move forward purposefully." When you move forward, you advance. You can advance a chess piece on a board, advance toward someone across a room, or observe an army as it advances into a country. Advance also means "make progress," as when you advance your knowledge of Spanish by traveling to Ecuador, or "to loan money," which a bank does by making an advance of a thousand dollars. Since the 1700s, to make advances has also meant to make romantic overtures or to flirt.
Vocabulary lists containing advance
The SAT: Language of the Test, List 2
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The SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 2
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The ACT: The Language of the Test, List 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Alexa Ray Joel shared a positive health update on father Billy Joel in advance of a tribute event.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
But Ukraine's soldiers are celebrating this regained ground, the halted Russian advance and the future potential this operation may present.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
That finding raises the possibility of developing off-the-shelf treatments using cells manufactured in advance from donors.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026
The red flag alert in effect Thursday is one step below the rare “particularly dangerous situation” warning that was issued in advance of the Palisades fire.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
She sent the signal for her armies to advance.
From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown
Among the best performers on Japan’s benchmark index, Nomura Research Institute rises 5.7%, Sanrio advances 5.2%, and Konami Group adds 5.0%.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
They could also provide new insights into how the brain processes memories and language, potentially leading to advances in technologies that help people communicate after neurological injuries.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 15, 2026
Penske Automotive stock advances after agreeing to go private by its biggest investors in a deal valuing the company at $16.3 billion.
From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026
None of these technological advances resulted in the end of reading or an era of ill-defined “post-literacy.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
Future generations would take the advances for granted, but in the early days the mechanical birds yielded their secrets slowly, pressed by disciplined experimentation, rigorous mathematics, insight, and luck.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
This is reflected most clearly in the sharply rising interest rate costs for the world's advanced economies.
From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026
Important industries are advanced manufacturing, life sciences, technology, tourism and healthcare.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
This property makes them attractive for developing extremely energy-efficient electronics and other advanced technologies.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026
The annual meetings bring together finance ministers, central bankers and policymakers from around the world, and Warsh said he had heard from others of the "common challenges" advanced economies faced.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
Once again, the SS-HJ was reorganized and sent to Hungary to slow the Russian army as it advanced toward Germany from the east.
From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
In the eighth, with one out, Will Smith cut out the middle man by doubling into the right-field corner and advancing to third when Milwaukee’s Sal Frelick misplayed the carom off the wall.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
The company additionally made progress advancing its acquisition of AliGroup, which is expected to close in the first half of 2027, he added.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
"We are very focused on advancing the closure of Rikers Island on the fastest timeline possible," said Dana Kaplan, who is overseeing the mayor's efforts to shutter the jail.
From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026
"This collaboration with NYU Abu Dhabi reflects our commitment to advancing innovative, clinically relevant research that translates into meaningful improvements in patient care," said Dr. Sawsan Abdel-Razig, Chief Academic Officer at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 11, 2026
“Now look here my man,” said Mr. Jaggers, advancing a step, and pointing to the door.
From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
