ongoing
ON-go-ing
/ˈɒnˌɡəʊɪŋ/
Continuing; still in progress or development.
Implies a process that has started and is currently moving forward, often used for investigations or projects.
The story behind the word. A relatively modern compound from the early 20th century, combining the preposition 'on' with the participle 'going' to describe movement that doesn't stop.
Word relationships
- continuing: Continuing is more general; ongoing often implies a more active or complex process.
- finished: Finished implies a completed state, whereas ongoing is the middle of the state.
Commonly confused with
- constant: Ongoing refers to a process in progress; constant refers to something that happens all the time without stopping.
Word family
- ongoingness (noun): The state of being in progress.
Collocations
- ongoing investigation
- ongoing process
- ongoing support
Example sentences
- "The police said the investigation was ongoing and they could not comment further." News reporting on a legal matter.
Memory hook
Think of a light that is 'on' and a car that is 'going'. If the light is on and the car is going, the trip is ongoing. On and going: still in motion.
When not to use
Do not use for things that are permanent or unchanging; it implies a process with a potential end.
Fun facts
- The word gained massive popularity in corporate and journalistic jargon during the 1960s.
Explore more words
transition, formative, continuously, concurrent, make progress, forthcoming
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