ongoing

ongoing — adjective

1. still in progress or continuing to change, without having reached an end yet.

1.adjectiveC2
Definition

still in progress or continuing to change, without having reached an end yet.

Example

The discussion is ongoing, so the board has not voted yet.

predicative use: be ongoing

Talks between the teachers and parents are still ongoing this week.

ongoing talks or negotiations

Common collocations
  • ongoing investigation
  • ongoing talks
  • ongoing care
  • ongoing debate
  • ongoing case
Synonyms
  • continuing

    very close in meaning, but slightly broader and more neutral

  • current

    focuses on the present time, not always on a process in progress

  • active

    stresses that something is operating now, not necessarily developing over time

  • unresolved

    narrower; used especially for problems that are still not solved

Antonyms

Usage Note

Usually appears before nouns such as talks, investigation, debate, care, or problem. Use after 'be' is also possible, but the adjective is more often placed before the noun.

Common Mistakes

The meeting is still continuing ongoing.
The meeting is still ongoing.
'ongoing' already includes the idea of continuing.
We had an ongoing appointment at three.
We had a scheduled appointment at three.
'ongoing' describes something not finished, not one planned event.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

'Ongoing' describes something that began earlier and is still continuing now, often over a period of time. 'Continuing' is the closest match, but it is slightly broader and can sound more neutral. 'Current' points to the present time, without clearly showing that a process started before now. 'Active' suggests that a person, account, rule, or system is operating, but it does not always stress duration. 'Unresolved' is narrower and usually negative, used for problems or disputes that remain unsolved. Compare: an ongoing investigation, current prices, an active account, and an unresolved argument. A strike can be ongoing for weeks, but a password is active, not ongoing.

ongoing ↗continuingcurrent ↗active ↗unresolved

Common collocations

Nouns

  • ongoing process
  • ongoing investigation
  • ongoing talks
  • ongoing problem

Adverbs

  • still ongoing

Phrases

  • be ongoing

Etymology

English

Formed in English from 'on' and the verb 'go'. It grew out of the idea of something 'going on', and it came to describe a process, event, or situation that has started and is still not finished.