lexicow

phase

/feɪz//feɪz/·noun
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Definition

A phase is one stage in an ordered sequence of change — the Greek phasis meant the appearance the moon shows on a given night. Each phase is temporary and gives way to the next: the early phase of a project, an awkward phase of growth, the phases of matter from solid to liquid to gas. The word frames change as a series of discrete states rather than one smooth slide, with a clear threshold where one phase ends and another begins.

Examples

  • The project has entered its final phase, and results should begin to emerge within weeks.
  • Each phase of the experiment must culminate in a written report before the next begins.
  • Adolescence is often described as a difficult phase that every teenager must pass through.

Collocations

the next phase·a transitional phase·phase of development·phase in / phase out·in phases

Synonyms

stage·period·step·juncture·chapter

Word family

phased (adjective)·phasing (noun)

In TOEFL & IELTS

Two traps. First, spelling and meaning versus phrase (a phase is a stage; a phrase is a group of words). Second, the phrasal verb phase in / phase out (to introduce or remove gradually) is high-value for Writing on policy and technology ('the subsidy will be phased out by 2030'). 'A transitional phase' and 'the early phases of' are reliable academic collocations.