YOUR VOCABULARY, ONE WORD AT A TIME

headway

Noun

IPA /ˈhedweɪ/

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Meaning in plain English

Progress towards a goal, especially when difficulties make it slow.

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Pronunciation

headway/ˈhedweɪ/

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A task has barely begun
Several useful steps are completed
The goal is closer

To make headway is to make progress towards a goal.

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We finally made headway with clearing the overgrown garden.
The researchers made significant headway in analysing the old letters.

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We finally made ________ with clearing the overgrown garden.

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headway — Progress towards a goal, especially when difficulties make it slow.

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Progress towards a goal, especially when difficulties make it slow.

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Word origin

In its progress sense, it developed from nautical language for forward movement, shortened from ahead-way.

Did you know?

Make headway is the main expression; little headway means little progress.

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