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.
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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
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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:
The BEA releases its advance estimate of third-quarter gross domestic product growth.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
Though setting up the altar necessarily must be completed over a two-day period on cemetery grounds, Cruz Jimenez said she began thinking of the display’s layout six months in advance.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026
Thursday's GDP data was an advance estimate released by the BEA, with two further estimates due in the coming weeks that could see the number revised.
From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026
The biennial summit will bring together leaders of 56 Commonwealth countries to address shared challenges and advance cooperation.
From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026
At my reaction the monkeys grew more agitated and called to each other, watching it advance.
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
Levanon contends rapid advances in AI will stunt demand, perhaps permanently, for the sort of white-collar administrative work that used to be the first rung on the ladder for college graduates.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026
Laser techniques developed at TU Wien in the 1990s contributed to advances recognized by the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 29, 2026
Increasingly, small businesses like Brushstrokes + Beverages — with little capital to use as collateral against a traditional loan — are turning to nonbank finance companies for merchant cash advances.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026
Lamm believes advances in AI, quantum computing and bioscience will allow the company to ultimately engineer new forms of life.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
As soon as I heard the coach say “Fence,” I made two advances with my blade extended, immediately followed by two quick retreats.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
One of Chevron’s key areas of research is in advanced chemicals, which it uses to boost recovery of oil-and-gas molecules from its existing fields in places like the Permian, he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
Caterpillar’s stock has still gained 15.4% in 2026, while the Dow has advanced 8.9%.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026
Through high-pressure experiments and advanced computer simulations, researchers found that magma can absorb additional oxygen beyond the amount normally required by its chemical composition.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 29, 2026
Abiy said besides the advanced capabilities of the aircraft from Russia, the use of drones was equally important in strengthening deterrence.
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026
Ma had taken me in hand, pushing me to cook more complicated dishes, coaching me through the advanced sewing techniques that were second nature to her.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
The institute focuses on advancing research into difficult and complex diseases while helping promising laboratory findings move more quickly toward potentially lifesaving treatments for patients.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 29, 2026
A series featuring two of baseball’s smaller markets is an anomaly when history shows a correlation between payroll and success, not only in the regular season but in advancing through the playoffs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2026
The back wall appears stony, advancing toward us in places, then disappearing altogether amid hazy light that floats through the space as if searching for purchase.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
"We are steadily strengthening desirability and advancing our product development at pace," he added.
From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 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.
