advance
1 of 3verb
ad·vance əd-ˈvan(t)s 
advanced; advancing
transitive verb
1
: to accelerate the growth or progress of
advance a cause
2
: to bring or move forward
advance a pawn
3
: to raise to a higher rank
was advanced from clerk to assistant manager
4
archaic : to lift up : raise
5
: to bring forward in time
especially : to make earlier
advance the date of the meeting
6
: to bring forward for notice, consideration, or acceptance : propose
advance an idea
7
: to supply or furnish in expectation of repayment
advance a loan
8
: to raise in rate : increase
advance the rent
intransitive verb
1
: to move forward : proceed
an advancing army
2
: to make progress : increase
advance in age
3
: to rise in rank, position, or importance
advance through the ranks
4
: to rise in rate or price
advancing wages
advancer noun
advance
2 of 3noun
1
: a moving forward
halted the enemy's advances
2
a
: progress in development
… mistaking material advance for spiritual enrichment.
H. J. Laski
H. J. Laski b
: a progressive step : improvement
an advance in medical technique
3
: a rise in price, value, or amount
The workers won wage advances.
4
: a first step or approach made (as to gain favor or form an acquaintance)
especially : the act of speaking to someone in an effort to start a sexual relationship —usually plural
She rejected his advances.
The report alleges that the supervisor repeatedly made unwanted/improper sexual advances towards subordinates.
5
: a provision of something (such as money or goods) before a return is received
I need an advance on my salary.
also : the money or goods supplied
received a $100,000 advance on his new book
advance
3 of 3adjective
1
: made, sent, or furnished ahead of time
advance sales
2
: going or situated before
an advance party of soldiers
Synonyms
Verb
- lend
- loan
Noun
- advancement
- furtherance
- going
- headway
- march
- onrush
- passage
- process
- procession
- progress
- progression
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb The car advanced slowly down the street. The sun slowly advanced across the sky. She opened the door and advanced cautiously into the room. advance the hands of a clock The film is advanced by an electric motor. The team advanced the ball steadily down the field. Our understanding of this disease has advanced rapidly in recent years. The team did not advance beyond the first round of the play-offs. The company tries to keep up with advancing technology. As he advanced in age and stature he advanced in knowledge. Noun trying to halt the enemy's advance trying to halt the enemy's advances a big advance in technology The new system represents a considerable advance over the old one. There have been few advances made in the treatment of this disease. There has been little advance made in the treatment of this disease. The workers won wage advances. a yearlong advance in stock prices Adjective an advance copy of a new book See More
Recent Examples on the Web Michelle Zhou, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2022 With a keen focus on booking only rising talent — those mostly unknown on a national scale — Mile of Music aims to help artists advance their career trajectory. Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 7 Sep. 2022 That appears to have opened opportunities for Ukrainian forces in the east to advance. James Marson, WSJ, 7 Sep. 2022 The window conversation helped in the first round, when the Sun responded to a home loss with a road win at Dallas to advance. Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 4 Sep. 2022 Sorrenti fears Kiwi Farms’ harassment techniques will soon be duplicated by far-right trolls to advance larger culture war goals. Ben Collins, NBC News, 2 Sep. 2022 Megan Sims reports Cory received unanimous approval last week from the Cleveland Landmarks Commission to advance its nomination for the registry. Cliff Pinckard, cleveland, 2 Sep. 2022 The Trump legal team's latest filing, however, doesn't appear to advance new arguments or provide new information in the case. Katherine Faulders, ABC News, 1 Sep. 2022 McCarthy would be expected to advance new California water legislation with an emphasis on storage and water reallocation from Northern to Central and Southern California, according to the person. Jennifer Haberkorn, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2022 Ed Silverman, STAT, 11 Sep. 2022 But those leaf-peepers don’t make reservations far in advance. Lisa Rathke, Hartford Courant, 10 Sep. 2022 Visitors can plan their parking in advance using the website. Emma Stein, Detroit Free Press, 9 Sep. 2022 The worst time to buy The worst time to buy a ticket to an NFL game is three months or more in advance, FinanceBuzz found. Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 9 Sep. 2022 Meet-and-Greet dinner are $45 and must be purchased in advance at the time of online reservation. Jennifer Shapiro-sacks, Sun Sentinel, 9 Sep. 2022 Her hotel asked her to make arrangements in advance to have her room cleaned during her visit. Christopher Elliott, USA TODAY, 9 Sep. 2022 But concerns about parent involvement in K-12 curricula flared in January, when teachers fought back against a bill that would have required them to post classroom materials 30 days in advance. Connor Sanders, The Salt Lake Tribune, 9 Sep. 2022 With these events, people in the area felt precursory earthquakes for days in advance, according to Science News. Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Sep. 2022 John Bolton, WSJ, 6 Sep. 2022 Beijing's response was released by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in tandem with its own report after China was given advance access to the document to review and respond. Simone Mccarthy, CNN, 1 Sep. 2022 And while Pfizer didn't directly take US government money in the research phase, the administration did strike an advance-purchase deal with the company to obtain more than 100 million doses for $1.95 billion. Peter Bergen, CNN, 29 Aug. 2022 Pitney Bowes has some unique benefits like paying tuition upfront and advance weekly pay. Paolo Confino, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2022 Theoretically, a family of four can even attend most Sunday games for as low as $39 plus fees, with $6 tickets to Bernie's Terrace and $15 advance-pay general parking. Jr Radcliffe, Journal Sentinel, 25 Aug. 2022 Like the United States sought to do in the 1960s with Apollo, China views its increasingly robust space program as a means to increase its prestige on the world stage and advance geopolitical interests. Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 23 Aug. 2022 Nightclub admission ticketing had yet to move to the live-concert model of advance online purchasing, leaving tickets to be purchased sole- ly at the box office. Steve Adelman, Rolling Stone, 18 Aug. 2022 Schmidt said Matar got an advance pass to the event where the author was speaking and arrived a day early bearing a fake ID. Hillel Italie, BostonGlobe.com, 14 Aug. 2022 See More
Verb
As humans continuously advance A.I. technologies, cognitive A.I. could also serve as a mirror for our own behavior–and help build more productive and inclusive relationships among humans. Michelle Zhou, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2022 With a keen focus on booking only rising talent — those mostly unknown on a national scale — Mile of Music aims to help artists advance their career trajectory. Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 7 Sep. 2022 That appears to have opened opportunities for Ukrainian forces in the east to advance. James Marson, WSJ, 7 Sep. 2022 The window conversation helped in the first round, when the Sun responded to a home loss with a road win at Dallas to advance. Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 4 Sep. 2022 Sorrenti fears Kiwi Farms’ harassment techniques will soon be duplicated by far-right trolls to advance larger culture war goals. Ben Collins, NBC News, 2 Sep. 2022 Megan Sims reports Cory received unanimous approval last week from the Cleveland Landmarks Commission to advance its nomination for the registry. Cliff Pinckard, cleveland, 2 Sep. 2022 The Trump legal team's latest filing, however, doesn't appear to advance new arguments or provide new information in the case. Katherine Faulders, ABC News, 1 Sep. 2022 McCarthy would be expected to advance new California water legislation with an emphasis on storage and water reallocation from Northern to Central and Southern California, according to the person. Jennifer Haberkorn, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2022 Noun
More specifically, 47% of those trials, or more than 1,770, were registered in advance, while only 12% reported results in a registry and 48% published their findings. Ed Silverman, STAT, 11 Sep. 2022 But those leaf-peepers don’t make reservations far in advance. Lisa Rathke, Hartford Courant, 10 Sep. 2022 Visitors can plan their parking in advance using the website. Emma Stein, Detroit Free Press, 9 Sep. 2022 The worst time to buy The worst time to buy a ticket to an NFL game is three months or more in advance, FinanceBuzz found. Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 9 Sep. 2022 Meet-and-Greet dinner are $45 and must be purchased in advance at the time of online reservation. Jennifer Shapiro-sacks, Sun Sentinel, 9 Sep. 2022 Her hotel asked her to make arrangements in advance to have her room cleaned during her visit. Christopher Elliott, USA TODAY, 9 Sep. 2022 But concerns about parent involvement in K-12 curricula flared in January, when teachers fought back against a bill that would have required them to post classroom materials 30 days in advance. Connor Sanders, The Salt Lake Tribune, 9 Sep. 2022 With these events, people in the area felt precursory earthquakes for days in advance, according to Science News. Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Sep. 2022 Adjective
At a time when U.S. leadership is hesitant if not flatly wrong, such as in the tragic decision to withdraw from Afghanistan, British resolve is critical to sustain and advance Western interests. John Bolton, WSJ, 6 Sep. 2022 Beijing's response was released by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in tandem with its own report after China was given advance access to the document to review and respond. Simone Mccarthy, CNN, 1 Sep. 2022 And while Pfizer didn't directly take US government money in the research phase, the administration did strike an advance-purchase deal with the company to obtain more than 100 million doses for $1.95 billion. Peter Bergen, CNN, 29 Aug. 2022 Pitney Bowes has some unique benefits like paying tuition upfront and advance weekly pay. Paolo Confino, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2022 Theoretically, a family of four can even attend most Sunday games for as low as $39 plus fees, with $6 tickets to Bernie's Terrace and $15 advance-pay general parking. Jr Radcliffe, Journal Sentinel, 25 Aug. 2022 Like the United States sought to do in the 1960s with Apollo, China views its increasingly robust space program as a means to increase its prestige on the world stage and advance geopolitical interests. Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 23 Aug. 2022 Nightclub admission ticketing had yet to move to the live-concert model of advance online purchasing, leaving tickets to be purchased sole- ly at the box office. Steve Adelman, Rolling Stone, 18 Aug. 2022 Schmidt said Matar got an advance pass to the event where the author was speaking and arrived a day early bearing a fake ID. Hillel Italie, BostonGlobe.com, 14 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English advauncen, alteration (with initial a- taken as assimilated form of Latin ad- ad-) of avauncen, borrowed from Anglo-French avancer, going back to Vulgar Latin *abantiāre, verbal derivative of Latin abante "before, in front," from ab- ab- + ante "before" — more at ante-
Noun
derivative of advance entry 1 (or borrowed from French avance, going back to Middle French, noun derivative of avancer)
Adjective
derivative of advance entry 2
First Known Use
Verb
1538, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Noun
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a
Adjective
1701, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing advance
Kids Definition
advance 1 of 2
verb
ad·vance əd-ˈvans
advanced; advancing
1
: to move forward
Advance your piece five spaces on your next turn.
2
: to help the progress of
Laws were passed that advance freedom.
3
: to raise to a higher rank : promote
She was advanced from teller to assistant bank manager.
4
: to give ahead of time
My boss advanced me 100 dollars from my wages.
5
: propose sense 1
The candidate advanced a new plan.
advance
2 of 2noun
1
: a forward movement
Troops tried to halt the enemy's advance.
2
: progress in development : improvement
advances in medicine
3
: a rise in price, value, or amount
4
: a first step or approach
friendly advances
5
: money given ahead of the usual time
I asked for an advance on my salary.
Legal Definition
advance 1 of 2
transitive verb
ad·vance
advanced; advancing
: to supply or provide ahead of time: as
a
: to give (a gift) by way of or as an advancement
b
: to supply (as money) beforehand in expectation of repayment or other future adjustment
advance
2 of 2noun
: a provision of something (as goods or money) before a return is received
also : the money or goods supplied
advance 1 of 3
verb
1
as in to lend
to give to another for temporary use with the understanding that it or a like thing will be returned advanced her some cash with the understanding that the amount would be deducted from her first paycheck Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- lend
- loan
- give
- grant
- furnish
- rent
- let
- lease
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- receive
- take
- borrow
2
as in to promote
to help the growth or development of great thinkers who did much to advance modern science Synonyms & Similar Words
- promote
- encourage
- cultivate
- further
- foster
- forward
- nurture
- assist
- support
- aid
- incubate
- advocate
- nourish
- fund
- finance
- back
- endorse
- champion
- underwrite
- subsidize
- uphold
- advertise
- stake
- publicize
- abet
- nurse
- boost
- patronize
- indorse
- endow
- tout
- plug
- agitate (for)
- work (for)
- campaign (for)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- prevent
- hinder
- discourage
- inhibit
- frustrate
- oppose
- prohibit
- enjoin
- forbid
- fight
- combat
- counter
- proscribe
- interdict
- ban
- contend (with)
- bar
- outlaw
- battle
- suppress
- check
- retard
- impede
- halt
- stifle
- repress
- obstruct
- squelch
- arrest
- subdue
- interfere (with)
- squash
- encumber
- snuff (out)
- hobble
- fetter
- shackle
- manacle
3
as in to progress
to move forward along a course as the technology advances, electronic devices keep getting smaller and smarter Synonyms & Similar Words
- progress
- proceed
- do
- march
- come
- go
- forge
- pace
- accelerate
- fare
- get along
- go off
- come along
- go along
- speed
- gain ground
- get on
- approach
- push
- travel
- propel
- near
- journey
- drive
- repair
- pass
- actuate
- impel
- fast-forward
- wend
- run
- take out
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- hinder
- impede
- stop
- remain
- stay
- stand
- check
- halt
- delay
- obstruct
- retard
- arrest
- suppress
- stem
- block
- slow (down or up)
- interrupt
- hold back
- inhibit
- detain
- hamper
- repress
- balk
- stall
- cease
- wait
- stunt
- pause
- nip
- cramp
- regress
- let up
4
as in to elevate
to move higher in rank or position within six months was advanced to the position of head waiter, to the dismay of the waiters who had been there much longer Synonyms & Similar Words
- promote
- elevate
- upgrade
- further
- forward
- improve
- raise
- heighten
- kick upstairs
- boost
- commission
- uplift
- honor
- aggrandize
- compliment
- lift
- celebrate
- congratulate
- commend
- applaud
- acclaim
- knight
- praise
- ennoble
- exalt
- salute
- cite
- decorate
- laud
- hail
- glorify
- extol
- eulogize
- extoll
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- reduce
- degrade
- lower
- overthrow
- remove
- downgrade
- dismiss
- unseat
- impeach
- depose
- oust
- abase
- expel
- dethrone
- demote
- dishonor
- take down
- humiliate
- humble
- unmake
- shame
- disgrace
- denounce
- condemn
- mortify
- censure
- damn
- demean
- reprobate
5
as in to propose
to set before the mind for consideration let me explain my reasons for advancing this proposal Synonyms & Similar Words
- propose
- suggest
- offer
- pose
- recommend
- present
- vote
- put forward
- propound
- plan
- proffer
- put forth
- submit
- bounce
- move
- arrange
- nominate
- shape
- file
- plot
- trot out
- map
- chart
- tender
- calculate
- lodge
- contrive
- frame
- cover
- lay
6
as in to approach
to move closer to advanced cautiously toward the snarling dog Synonyms & Similar Words
- approach
- come
- enter
- near
- nigh
- drop in
- pop (in)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- withdraw
- go
- retreat
- leave
- depart
- recede (from)
- exit
advance
2 of 3noun
1
as in advancement
forward movement in time or place during her long convalescence, the housebound woman was barely aware of the advance of the seasons Synonyms & Similar Words
- advancement
- progress
- process
- progression
- going
- procession
- march
- furtherance
- flow
- coming
- headway
- passage
- leap
- approach
- current
- onrush
- arrival
- way
- stream
- step
- advent
- drift
- impetus
- jump
- nearing
- momentum
- flux
- bound
- stride
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- retreat
- retrogression
- regression
- regress
- return
- recession
- ebb
- reverse
- reversal
- recess
- retraction
- backwash
- reflux
- turnaround
- turnabout
- about-face
2
as in improvement
an instance of notable progress in the development of knowledge, technology, or skill under her new teacher, the aspiring violinist has made noticeable advances in her technique in just a few weeks Synonyms & Similar Words
- improvement
- advancement
- breakthrough
- development
- enhancement
- innovation
- discovery
- increase
- refinement
- evolution
- strengthening
- betterment
- maturation
- education
- enlightenment
- ripening
- upturn
- amelioration
- upswing
- growth
- find
- quantum leap
- civilization
- expansion
- boost
- revival
- elaboration
- uplift
- renaissance
- edification
- heightening
- gestation
- upgrade
- melioration
- windfall
- perfection
- renascence
- uptrend
- invention
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- setback
- breakdown
- collapse
- reduction
- impediment
- decrease
- decline
- failing
- hindrance
- lapse
- deterioration
- crash
- weakening
- degeneration
- detriment
- worsening
- stumbling block
- slowing
- sinking
- lessening
- decay
- shortcoming
- downgrade
- descent
- decadence
- drawback
- impairment
- diminishment
- flagging
- glitch
- declension
- disablement
- ebbing
- languishment
advance
3 of 3adjective
as in preceding
Synonyms & Similar Words
- preceding
- early
- premature
- prior
- previous
- initial
- precedent
- antecedent
- earliest
- preliminary
- pioneer
- inaugural
- foregoing
- anterior
- first
- preexisting
- former
- maiden
- original
- introductory
- erstwhile
- whilom
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- subsequent
- following
- later
- succeeding
- advanced
- ensuing
- after
- late
- posterior
- final
- last
- latter
- latest
- ultimate
- concluding
- terminal
- closing
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of advance are forward, further, and promote. While all these words mean "to help (someone or something) to move ahead," advance stresses effective assisting in hastening a process or bringing about a desired end.
advance the cause of peace
While in some cases nearly identical to advance, forward implies an impetus forcing something ahead.
a wage increase would forward productivity
The synonyms further and advance are sometimes interchangeable, but further suggests a removing of obstacles in the way of a desired advance.
used the marriage to further his career
The words promote and advance can be used in similar contexts, but promote suggests an encouraging or fostering and may denote an increase in status or rank.
a campaign to promote better health