What does "proceed" mean?
To move, pass, or go forward or onward; to advance; to carry on.
Proceed
/pɹəˈsiːd/ verb
verb ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: To move, pass, or go forward or onward; to advance; to carry on.
- Grammar: proceed is listed as verb.
- Nearest alternatives: continue, carry on, go on, progress.
- Useful contrasts: becalmed, fallow land use, long halt.
- Usage evidence: Let's proceed with the items on the agenda.
How to use "proceed"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "proceed" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "proceed" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "proceed" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "proceed" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "proceed" is acting as verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "continue" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "proceed", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To move, pass, or go forward or onward; to advance; to carry on. intransitive
"to proceed on a journey"
- 2 follow a certain course wordnet
- 3 To pass from one point, topic, or stage, to another. intransitive
"to proceed with a story or argument"
- 4 continue talking wordnet
- 5 To come from; to have as its source or origin. intransitive
"Light proceeds from the sun."
Show 8 more definitions
- 6 move ahead; travel onward in time or space wordnet
- 7 To go on in an orderly or regulated manner; to begin and carry on a series of acts or measures; to act methodically. intransitive
"He that proceeds upon others Principles in his Enquiry into any Sciences, though he be reſolv’d to examine them and judge of them freely, does yet at leaſt put himſelf on that ſide, and poſt himſelf in a Party which he will not quit ’till he be beaten out; […]"
- 8 follow a procedure or take a course wordnet
- 9 To be transacted; to take place; to occur. intransitive
"And he will (after his ſowre faſhion) tell you What hath proceeded worthy note to day."
- 10 continue a certain state, condition, or activity wordnet
- 11 To be applicable or effective; to be valid. intransitive
"For it [this rule] only proceeds and takes place, when a Perſon cannot of common Right condemn or bind another by his Sentence; […]"
- 12 To begin and carry on a legal process. intransitive
"“Gentlemen, shall we proceed?” the judge said. From the beginning, Judge Fong appeared bored at Levine's coaxing remarks."
- 13 To take an academic degree. intransitive
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Let's proceed with the items on the agenda."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "proceed"?
Common synonyms include: continue, carry on, go on, progress, accept, accrue from.
How do you use "proceed" in a sentence?
Let's proceed with the items on the agenda.
How do you pronounce "proceed"?
Pronounced /pɹəˈsiːd/.
Etymology
From Middle English proceden, from Old French proceder, from Latin prōcēdō (“I go forth, go forward, advance”), from prō (“forth”) + cēdō (“I go”); see cede.