noun

• 1usually in phrase make headwaymass noun Forward movement of a ship or boat, especially when this is slow or difficult.

  ‘the ship was making very little headway against heavy seas’

  More example sentences

  • ‘Coalition forces are making headway in their battle against oil well fires.’
  • ‘‘The good news is we are making headway in many parts of the country,’ he will declare.’
  • ‘For all its warts, Montreal is making headway in the sustainable architecture crusade.’
  • ‘Another Goldsworthy's hairdresser is also making headway in the competition.’
  • ‘Nor should it be overlooked that there are some others making headway in this battle for the clothing market.’
  • ‘However, slowly but surely women are making headway in the motoring industry.’
  • ‘There can be little doubt that she had despaired of making headway in an old-fashioned world.’
  • ‘By the end of last year, Beijing seemed to be making headway in preventing the economy from boiling over.’
  • ‘Meanwhile, other dissident movements were making headway throughout Ethiopia.’
  • ‘This comes just as other voices in Labour are making headway pushing in a more progressive direction.’
  • ‘So far it seems that negotiations are not making headway on a key issue.’
  • ‘Structural changes aside, it's hard to get a fix on whether the gumshoes are making headway.’
  • ‘Although the army has made similar arguments in the past, officers are making headway.’
  • ‘Only a resolute leader who sets an irreproachable personal example stands any chance of making headway.’
  • ‘On the doorsteps, the Conservatives are making headway on immigration.’
  • ‘I am much less stressed since the change and finally making headway on a lot of old tasks.’
  • ‘I try to make sure that we have the right people in the right activities and we're making headway.’
  • ‘Although she was still making headway, her bow began to go under.’
  • ‘With the boat still making headway, our guide Nico jumps off the platform and immediately descends, trailing a line attached to a second buoy.’
  • ‘She managed to make some headway down the narrow street before she collapsed exhausted.’

  Synonyms

  make progress, make strides, gain ground, progress, advance, proceed, move, get on, get ahead, come on, come along, shape up, take shape, move forward in leaps and bounds

  1. 1.1Progress, especially when this is slow or difficult.
     ‘the firm is finally beginning to make headway’
     More example sentences

     • ‘they appear to be making headway in bringing the rebels under control’
     Synonyms

     make progress, make strides, gain ground, progress, advance, proceed, move, get on, get ahead, come on, come along, shape up, take shape, move forward in leaps and bounds

• 2The average interval between trains or buses on a regular service.

  ‘a six-minute headway’

  More example sentences

  • ‘The company also extended the train headway from three to six minutes during this period.’
  • ‘Instead of speed, other countries should try instead to emulate the Shinkansen's remarkable frequency of train headway.’