gaining traction
Starting to catch
Gaining traction means building momentum or beginning to make progress.
The image comes from wheels or feet finding grip on a surface—without traction, you spin in place.
A movement, idea, or product that gains traction is catching on and attracting support: The campaign struggled at first but started gaining traction after the viral video.
Her theory is gaining traction among researchers.
- momentumProduct of mass, velocity
- picking up steamIncreasing in momentum
- gripSecure manual hold
- footholdStable position for advancement
- headwayForward progress achieved
building momentum · progress · moving the needle · wheels · ground · purchase · climbing · accelerating · building · growing · snowball effect · snowballing · catching · catching on · spreading · viral · word of mouth · buzz
- momentumbuilding momentum, gaining steam, gather steam, pick up speed, picking up speed
- progressprogress, in progress, promotion, raise, making progress
- machine idiomswell-oiled machine, gears turning, firing on all cylinders, grinding gears, full steam ahead
gaining tractionstalling out
Ceasing to function suddenly
losing steam · grinding to a halt · slowing down · stagnating · faltering
gain, gains, gained, gainer, gainers, gainful, gainfully, regain, regains