work in progress

plural works in progress · alternative work-in-progress

1. uncountableWork that has been started, but is not complete.

   All the efforts to make a New Man are still work in progress.

   1 more example

   A group of seven close friends and lovers happened to be gay and writers with books either recently published or about to be published, and who lived in Manhattan, decided it might be fun and useful to have get-togethers to read work-in-progress to each other for feedback.

   1987 April 25, Felice Picano, “The Truth About "Violet Quill"”, in Gay Community News, page 4

2. countableA project that has been started but is not complete.

   Reorganizing my office is a work in progress.

   1 more example

   Refurbishing Okehampton station, kept basically sound under ownership by Devon Council, remains a work in progress and scheduled for completion next spring.

   2021 November 17, Andrew Mourant, “Okehampton: a new dawn for Dartmoor”, in RAIL, number 944, page 43

3. countableSomething that is in the process of improving.

   They remain a work in progress but in a match many felt would see the new Arsenal's flaws exposed, Emery and his players can regard this as a highly satisfactory result and performance.

   2018 November 3, Phil McNulty, “Arsenal 1 - 1 Liverpool”, in BBC Sport

4. uncountableaccountingA portion of inventory that represents goods which are no longer salable as raw materials, but not yet salable as finished goods, work in process.

   Work in progress has dramatically declined due to reduced production cycle times.

   Synonyms: work in process