“In Process” vs. “In Progress”: Meaning, Usage and Grammar can clear up common confusion about these similar phrases. When an application or sentence is being written, you may pause, wondering which one you should use. Both appear in ongoing actions and are often used by English speakers, but they aren’t fully interchangeable in standard English. The wrong choice may make your writing seem unpolished or unclear, especially in professional settings.
In today’s fast-paced digital world, emails, messages, and content are constantly being created, so understanding these subtle grammar differences can significantly improve communication. A comprehensive guide should break down the grammar rules, definitions, usage, and meaning of each phrase. Your writing skill grows as you keep working to become better. Voracious readers and writers have probably seen both versions, while professional writing often depends on choosing the right phrase to make a message sharper and more credible.
To remember the difference, think of in progress as something actively moving forward, while in process often connects to a particular procedure or sequence. Real-world uses, common mistakes, grammar tips, industry examples, and memory tricks make these forms easier to use confidently and correctly every time. Whether you’re updating project dashboards, polishing academic work, or handling projects in an industry, this guide helps you discover how each expression works and communicate clearly.
“In Progress” Meaning: What Does “In Progress” Mean?
In progress means that something has started and is still happening. It hasn’t finished yet.
The expression commonly describes an activity, event, task, project, investigation, repair, discussion, or other activity that continues over a period of time.
For example:
- The meeting is in progress.
- Construction is in progress.
- The investigation is in progress.
- Repairs are in progress.
- The project is still in progress.
- The game was already in progress when we arrived.
The key idea is ongoing activity.
When you say, “The meeting is in progress,” you aren’t necessarily saying how long the meeting has lasted. You aren’t saying whether the meeting is nearly finished either. You’re simply telling the reader that the meeting has begun and hasn’t ended.
How to use “in progress” in a sentence
The most common structure is:
Subject + be + in progress
Examples:
- The inspection is in progress.
- The negotiations are in progress.
- The repairs are in progress.
- The application review is in progress.
You can also use modifiers such as still, currently, or already.
- The investigation is still in progress.
- The renovation is currently in progress.
- The match was already in progress when the broadcast started.
These small additions can provide more context without changing the basic meaning.
What Does “In Process” Mean?
In process is a real English expression. However, it isn’t normally the best general replacement for in progress.
This is where much of the confusion begins.
In ordinary English, speakers usually say:
The work is in progress.
rather than:
The work is in process.
The first sentence clearly communicates that the work is underway. The second can sound unnatural depending on the context.
In process becomes more useful in specific technical, industrial, manufacturing, administrative, or procedural contexts. It can describe something occurring within a particular process.
For example:
- In-process testing checks a product during manufacturing.
- In-process inspection examines work during production.
- In-process controls help monitor manufacturing conditions.
Notice something important here. In-process often works as a compound adjective before another noun.
That’s different from using in process as a general status phrase.
“In Process” vs. “In Progress”: The Main Difference
The easiest way to understand in process vs. in progress is to focus on what each expression emphasizes.
| Expression | Main meaning | Typical context | Example |
| in progress | Currently happening or underway | General English | The meeting is in progress. |
| in process | Within or as part of a process | Specialized or procedural contexts | The material undergoes in-process testing. |
| in the process of | Currently carrying out an action | General English | We are in the process of moving. |
Here’s the practical takeaway:
If you mean “underway,” choose “in progress” in most situations.
If you’re describing an action that a person, company, or organization is carrying out, “in the process of” will often work better.
If you’re discussing a defined technical process, “in-process” may be the appropriate term.
“In Progress” vs. “In the Process Of”
These expressions overlap in meaning. Their grammar and focus differ.
Consider these two sentences:
The website update is in progress.
The company is in the process of updating the website.
Both sentences describe the same general situation. Yet they frame it differently.
The first sentence focuses on the status of the update.
The second focuses on the action the company is carrying out.
This distinction becomes clearer with more examples.
| In progress | In the process of |
| The renovation is in progress. | We are in the process of renovating the office. |
| The hiring process is in progress. | The company is in the process of hiring new employees. |
| The investigation is in progress. | Investigators are in the process of reviewing the evidence. |
| The system update is in progress. | The IT team is in the process of updating the system. |
Neither construction is automatically better. The right choice depends on what you want the sentence to emphasize.
A useful grammar test
Ask yourself:
Am I describing the status of something?
Use in progress.
Am I describing someone or something actively carrying out an action?
Consider in the process of.
For example:
- The application is in progress. → status
- We are in the process of completing the application. → action
That simple test solves many common usage problems.
“In Process” vs. “In the Process”: Don’t Drop “The”
Another common mistake involves the expression in the process of.
The standard construction is:
in the process of + noun or -ing form
Examples:
- I am in the process of changing jobs.
- She is in the process of moving.
- They are in the process of reviewing the contract.
- The company is in the process of expanding its operations.
A common nonstandard or awkward version is:
We are in process of reviewing the application.
For ordinary English, write:
We are in the process of reviewing the application.
The word the matters because in the process of functions as an established phrase.
When Should You Use “In Progress”?
Use in progress when an activity has begun and continues.
It works especially well with things that naturally unfold over time.
Projects
- The software development project is in progress.
- The renovation project remains in progress.
- The migration is currently in progress.
Events
- The conference is in progress.
- The ceremony was already in progress.
- The meeting is in progress.
Investigations
- The investigation is still in progress.
- An internal review is in progress.
- The inquiry remains in progress.
Repairs and construction
- Road construction is in progress.
- Emergency repairs are in progress.
- Maintenance work is in progress.
Discussions and negotiations
- Negotiations are in progress.
- Discussions between the two teams are in progress.
- Further talks are currently in progress.
The phrase works particularly well when you need a concise status update.
When Is “In Process” Appropriate?
The phrase in process deserves more care because its naturalness depends strongly on context.
In general writing, replacing in progress with in process can create an awkward sentence.
However, specialized English uses in-process regularly.
For example:
- in-process inspection
- in-process testing
- in-process monitoring
- in-process quality control
- in-process measurement
Here, in-process means something occurs during a defined process, often before that process reaches its final stage.
Imagine a factory making a product.
A manufacturer might inspect the product at several stages rather than waiting until the very end. That inspection can be called in-process inspection because it happens while production continues.
This isn’t simply another way to say “inspection is in progress.”
The terms describe different ideas.
The inspection is in progress.
This tells you the inspection is currently happening.
The technician performs in-process inspection.
This tells you that inspection occurs as part of the production process.
That’s an important distinction.
“In-Process” and the Hyphen
You’ll often see in-process with a hyphen when it appears before a noun as a compound modifier.
Examples include:
- in-process testing
- in-process inspection
- in-process control
- in-process measurement
The hyphen helps readers recognize that the words work together as one modifier.
Compare:
The factory uses in-process testing.
Here, in-process modifies testing.
By contrast:
The testing is in progress.
Here, in progress acts as a phrase describing the current status of the testing.
The grammatical roles differ even though the words look similar.
Common Mistakes With “In Process” and “In Progress”
Using “in process” when you mean “underway”
This is probably the biggest problem.
Less natural:
The meeting is in process.
Natural:
The meeting is in progress.
If you’re talking about a meeting happening right now, in progress is the normal choice.
Saying “in process of”
Awkward:
She is in process of changing departments.
Standard:
She is in the process of changing departments.
The established expression includes the.
Treating “in-process” and “in progress” as synonyms
They aren’t interchangeable in every sentence.
In progress describes current activity.
In-process commonly describes something that takes place within a particular process.
Assuming “in progress” means almost finished
It doesn’t.
A project can be one percent complete and still be in progress. It can also be ninety-nine percent complete and still be in progress.
The phrase tells you that the activity hasn’t finished. It doesn’t give you a completion percentage.
“In Progress” vs. “Ongoing”
Ongoing is another word you’ll frequently encounter alongside in progress.
Both can describe something that continues over time.
For example:
- The investigation is ongoing.
- The investigation is in progress.
Both sentences can work. The emphasis differs slightly.
In progress often presents something as an activity currently underway.
Ongoing emphasizes continuation.
Consider these examples:
Construction is in progress.
This sounds like construction work is actively happening.
Construction is ongoing.
This emphasizes that the construction continues and hasn’t ended.
In many contexts, either choice works. Your choice can depend on tone and what you want to emphasize.
“In Progress” vs. “Underway”
Underway is another close alternative.
Compare:
- The investigation is in progress.
- The investigation is underway.
Both mean the investigation has started and continues.
Underway can sound slightly more dynamic. It often appears in news reporting and formal communication.
For example:
An investigation is underway following the incident.
In everyday workplace communication, however, in progress remains extremely common.
“In Progress” vs. “Processing”
These expressions become especially important when discussing applications, payments, orders, and digital systems.
Suppose you submit an application.
You might see:
Application status: In progress
This usually means the application process hasn’t finished.
You might instead see:
Application is being processed.
That wording emphasizes that an organization or system is handling the application.
The difference is subtle but useful:
- In progress → describes the overall status.
- Being processed → emphasizes active handling.
- Pending → often indicates that something is waiting for an action, decision, or condition.
For example, an online payment can be pending while the system waits for confirmation. A payment that the system actively handles may be described as processing.
Status terminology varies between companies and software systems. Therefore, always check the definitions used by the specific service when precision matters.
“In Progress” in Workplace Communication
Few phrases are more useful for concise workplace updates than in progress.
Project-management systems commonly divide tasks into statuses such as:
| Status | General meaning |
| Not started | Work hasn’t begun |
| In progress | Work has started and continues |
| Pending | Work or a decision is waiting |
| On hold | Work has temporarily stopped |
| Completed | Work has finished |
This vocabulary creates a simple timeline.
Not started → In progress → Completed
A task can move to on hold when circumstances stop the work. It can return to in progress later.
That makes in progress especially useful in dashboards, project reports, customer-service systems, and team updates.
“In Progress” in Signs and Notices
You’ll also see the phrase without a verb in public notices.
Examples include:
- Construction in Progress
- Cleaning in Progress
- Maintenance in Progress
- Testing in Progress
- Recording in Progress
These expressions work because signs often omit words that readers can easily infer.
For example:
Cleaning in Progress
essentially means:
Cleaning is currently in progress.
The shorter version saves space while keeping the meaning clear.
Real-World Case Study: A Website Redesign
Consider a company redesigning its website.
The project manager might write:
Website redesign: In progress
That status tells the team that the work has started but isn’t complete.
Now imagine an executive report:
The company is in the process of redesigning its website.
This version emphasizes what the company is doing.
A technical report might say:
The team conducts in-process testing before each major release.
Here, the meaning changes again. The testing occurs as part of a defined development process.
Three related expressions now describe three slightly different ideas:
- The redesign is in progress. → current status
- The company is in the process of redesigning the site. → action underway
- The team performs in-process testing. → testing within a defined process
That’s the distinction in a nutshell.
Real-World Case Study: An Application
Imagine that a customer submits an application.
A status page could display:
Application: In progress
That means the application hasn’t reached its final state.
A customer-service representative could say:
“We’re in the process of reviewing your application.”
This focuses on the organization’s action.
A technical system might display:
Processing
That label emphasizes the system’s handling of the submission.
These phrases overlap. Yet each one highlights a different aspect of the situation.
Read More: Hola or Ola? The Complete Guide to Meaning and Usage
A Quick Decision Guide for “In Process” vs. “In Progress”
When you’re unsure which phrase to use, ask one question:
Do you mean “currently happening”?
Use in progress.
The repairs are in progress.
Do you mean “currently carrying out an action”?
Use in the process of.
We are in the process of repairing the equipment.
Are you describing something that occurs during a defined technical process?
Use in-process when that established terminology fits.
The factory conducts in-process inspections.
Are you describing something that continues over time?
Consider ongoing.
The negotiations are ongoing.
Do you mean something has started and is actively underway?
Consider underway.
The investigation is underway.
This approach works better than trying to memorize dozens of isolated rules.
FAQs:
Is “in process” or “in progress” correct?
In progress is usually the correct choice when you mean that something is currently happening or moving forward. For example, “Your application is in progress.”
What does “in process” mean?
In process can refer to something that is part of a procedure or system. It’s less common in everyday standard English than in progress.
Can I use “in process” and “in progress” interchangeably?
No. Although they look similar, they have different uses. In progress generally describes an ongoing activity, while in process often relates to a specific process or procedure.
Is “in progress” better for professional writing?
Yes. In progress is widely understood and sounds natural in professional emails, project updates, reports, and workplace communication.
How can I remember the difference?
Think of progress as something moving forward. Think of process as a method, procedure, or series of steps. This simple trick makes the difference easier to remember.
Conclusion:
The main difference between in process and in progress becomes clear when you focus on meaning and context. Use in progress for an action, task, or activity that’s still happening, such as “The project is in progress.”
In process has a narrower use and often describes something connected to a particular procedure. Choosing the right phrase makes your English clearer, more natural, and more professional.
