WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

make headway
    v 1: obtain advantages, such as points, etc.; "The home team was
         gaining ground"; "After defeating the Knicks, the Blazers
         pulled ahead of the Lakers in the battle for the number-one
         playoff berth in the Western Conference" [syn: gain,
         advance, win, pull ahead, make headway, get
         ahead, gain ground] [ant: drop off, fall back, fall
         behind, lose, recede]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

77 Moby Thesaurus words for "make headway":
   achieve success, advance, ameliorate, amend, arrive, be a success,
   break through, come along, come on, come through, cover ground,
   cut a swath, develop, do well, enjoy prosperity, farewell, foot,
   gain, gain ground, gather head, gather way, get ahead, get along,
   get on, get on swimmingly, get on well, get there, go, go ahead,
   go along, go far, go fast, go forward, go on, go places, go well,
   graduate, grow better, have it made, improve, look up,
   make a breakthrough, make a success, make good, make good time,
   make head against, make it, make knots, make progress,
   make progress against, make sternway, make strides, make the scene,
   make up leeway, make way, meliorate, mend, move, move forward,
   pass along, pass on, perk up, pick up, proceed, progress, prosper,
   rise, roll, shape up, show improvement, skyrocket, stem,
   step forward, succeed, take off, travel, turn out well