make ground
Close the gap
Make ground means to advance or gain progress, especially in difficult circumstances.
The phrase often appears in military or competitive contexts where forward movement matters: The troops made ground despite heavy resistance.
In British English, it commonly describes gaining advantage or closing a gap: The opposition party has made ground in recent polls.
Forward progress achieved
- advancementForward movement or promotion
- gainingObtaining or increasing
- momentumProduct of mass, velocity
- tractionAdhesive friction enabling movement
breakthrough · inroads · narrowing · overtaking · pursuit · chase · rally · comeback
Constructed soil structure
- excavationAct of unearthing
- gradingAssigning marks to work
- compactionReducing volume through pressure
- drainageLiquid removal system
trenching · piling · subgrade · foundation · leveling · backfill · clearing · terracing
headway
Forward progress achieved
- advancementForward movement or promotion
- gainingObtaining or increasing
- momentumProduct of mass, velocity
traction · breakthrough · inroads · narrowing · overtaking · pursuit · chase · rally · comeback · surge
earthwork
Constructed soil structure
- excavationAct of unearthing
- gradingAssigning marks to work
- compactionReducing volume through pressure
drainage · trenching · piling · subgrade · foundation · leveling · backfill · clearing · terracing · fill
make groundlose ground
Suffer setback in progress
fall behind · give ground · slip back · regress · backslide
make, ground, makes, made, making, maker, makers, remake, unmade