as in improvement
an instance of notable progress in the development of knowledge, technology, or skill
Alexander Fleming's discovery of penicillin was one of medicine's great breakthroughs, for penicillin became the first antibiotic to successfully combat bacterial infections in humans
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Recent Examples of breakthrough
This huge breakthrough quickly garnered three of the effort's key figures the physics Nobel Prize.
—
Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR, 11 Sep. 2025
Although some women actually experience a breakthrough in their creative endeavors during menopause, Swan had the opposite experience.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 11 Sep. 2025
Apple positioned the price hikes as a reflection of breakthrough innovation.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Scientists hail cancer breakthroughs Scientists are hailing promising breakthroughs in the fight against cancer, with one new therapy appearing to kill tumors without damaging healthy flesh.
—semafor.com, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for breakthrough
Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR, 11 Sep. 2025
Although some women actually experience a breakthrough in their creative endeavors during menopause, Swan had the opposite experience.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 11 Sep. 2025
Apple positioned the price hikes as a reflection of breakthrough innovation.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Scientists hail cancer breakthroughs Scientists are hailing promising breakthroughs in the fight against cancer, with one new therapy appearing to kill tumors without damaging healthy flesh.
—semafor.com, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for breakthrough
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breakthrough
Noun
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Healthcare organizations that implemented a lakehouse reported 42 percent faster data retrieval, a 35 percent improvement in patient outcomes, and a 28 percent reduction in diagnosis times.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
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The image below shows the resulting AI performance improvements.—
Thomas Coughlin,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Thanks to advances in the category—stronger adhesive, sleeker designs, more varied sizing—fake nails have never looked better and lasted longer.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
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Liquid-fuel challenges and advances Liquid-fuel ICBMs are known for their heavy payloads and extended range but are traditionally difficult to maintain in a constant state of readiness.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
An opportunity for career advancement presents itself as the sun and Mercury align.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
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Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
13 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Breakthrough.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breakthrough. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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