progressively

Everyday

1. Steadily and step by step, more and more over time: «It got progressively colder». tree →
2. In a progressive, forward-looking way (rare). tree →

In the lessons

Used in science, maths and stories for change that keeps growing: progressively harder questions, progressively darker sky. In maths it describes sequences that keep increasing or decreasing. Phrases: «progressively worse», «progressively better», «progressively harder», «progressively more».

Examples

• The questions get progressively harder as you go down the page. tree →
• It grew progressively darker as the sun set. tree →
• My reading has got progressively better this year. tree →
• The noise got progressively louder as the parade came closer. tree →
• The path became progressively steeper. tree →
• In the sequence 2, 4, 8, 16, the numbers get progressively bigger. tree →
• His cough got progressively worse, so he went to the doctor. tree →

Note

Spelling: progress + ive + ly (double s). Similar: «gradually», «increasingly», «steadily». In maths it signals a pattern of change, but not which kind: adding the same amount (2, 4, 6, 8) or multiplying (2, 4, 8, 16) are both «progressively bigger».