progression

[pruh-gresh-uh n]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR progression ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the act of progressing; forward or onward movement.

a passing successively from one member of a series to the next; succession; sequence.

Mathematics. a succession of quantities in which there is a constant relation between each member and the one succeeding it.Compare arithmetic progression, geometric progression, harmonic progression.

Music. the manner in which chords or melodic tones follow one another; a succession of chords or tones.

Astrology. any of a variety of methods of comparing the natal chart to subsequent planetary positions in order to establish an optimum time to accomplish things or to establish the probable time an event occurred or will occur.

Nearby words

Origin of progression

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin prōgressiōn- (stem of prōgressiō). See progress, -ion

Related formspro·gres·sion·al, adjectivepro·gres·sion·al·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for progression

[I] had to create the progression of where he was emotionally.
The Stacks: The Eyes of Winter: Paul Newman at 70|Peter Richmond|October 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Daily Beast: Von Trier follows a girl named Joe from her progression through adolescence into adulthood.
A Sex Addiction Expert Diagnoses Lars Von Trier’s ‘Nymphomaniac’|Lizzie Crocker|March 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
There has to be a progression in what Francis is willing to do in order to move forward, and that was the natural progression.
Beau Willimon on Most Shocking Twists in ‘House of Cards’ Season 2|Andrew Romano|February 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And 10 months of stability is but a moment of time for HIV, for which progression is measured in years.
Let’s Not Rush to Call the HIV Baby Findings a ‘Cure’|Kent Sepkowitz|March 5, 2013|DAILY BEAST

She was left with an aching desire to turn back time and stop the progression of that clock.
The Professor and the Doomsday Clock: ‘A Confederacy of Dunces’ & Signs of John Kennedy Toole’s Suicide|Cory MacLauchlin|December 17, 2012|DAILY BEAST
And if you doubt the progression, be pleased, my dear, to take your mother's judgment upon it.
Clarissa, Volume 2 (of 9)|Samuel Richardson
This mode of progression was, however, very unusual, and is more characteristic of the Hylobates than of the Orang.
The Malay Archipelago|Alfred Russell Wallace
A meal has a progression and projects expectations associated with this progression.
The Civilization of Illiteracy|Mihai Nadin
He would be putting himself entirely outside the progression of advancement.
Under the Prophet in Utah|Frank J. Cannon and Harvey J. O'Higgins
Progression from one chord to another is called Harmonic progression; from one tone to another, Melodic progression.
A Treatise on Simple Counterpoint in Forty Lessons|Friedrich J. Lehmann

British Dictionary definitions for progression

progression

noun

the act of progressing; advancement

the act or an instance of moving from one thing or unit in a sequence to the next

maths a sequence of numbers in which each term differs from the succeeding term by a constant relationSee also arithmetic progression, geometric progression, harmonic progression

music movement, esp of a logical kind, from one note to the next (melodic progression) or from one chord to the next (harmonic progression)

astrology one of several calculations, based on the movement of the planets, from which it is supposed that one can find the expected developments in a person's birth chart and the probable trends of circumstances for a year in his life

Derived Formsprogressional, adjectiveprogressionally, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for progression

progression

late 14c., "action of moving from one condition to another," from Old French progression and directly from Latin progressionem (nominative progressio) "a going forward, advancement, growth, increase," noun of action from past participle stem of progredi "go forward," from pro- "forward" (see pro-) + gradi "to step, walk," from gradus "step" (see grade (n.)).

Science definitions for progression