gain ground

Idioms  

1. Advance, make progress; also, win acceptance. For example, The new conservation policy is gaining ground among the voters . This expression alludes to a military advance in which an army literally takes territory from the enemy. Its figurative use dates from about 1800. For an antonym, see lose ground .

2. . Encroach on, advance at the expense of. For example, Door-to-door canvassing helped them gain ground on the opposition .

---

Example Sentences

After Wimbledon, though, Draper has only 50 points to defend for the rest of the year, and so will have the chance to gain ground rapidly.

From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026

Some analysts argue that Nawrocki and his party do not want the ruling coalition to gain ground there.

From Barron's • Mar. 13, 2026

McIlory remained steady, parring the final seven holes, but failed to gain ground.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 21, 2026

While the company has struggled to gain ground in the market for AI accelerators, its central processing units for servers are seemingly in demand as AI systems become more complex.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 21, 2026

But she always claimed she had done whatever it was she'd done to gain ground for us all.

From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez