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
Liverpool controlled the first half, and the majority of the second, but rarely looked like making the breakthrough from open play.
—
Andy Jones, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
This phenomenon is known as breakthrough infection.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 5 Mar. 2026
At the time, Jackson was pop’s fastest-rising star, having bridged the teenybopper mania of the Jackson 5 with mature disco-soul hits on his 1979 solo breakthrough, Off the Wall.
—Greg Poole, Rolling Stone, 5 Mar. 2026
To ensure innovation breakthroughs, Chinese officials projected an annual average growth of at least 7% in nationwide spending on research and development.
—ABC News, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for breakthrough
Andy Jones, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
This phenomenon is known as breakthrough infection.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 5 Mar. 2026
At the time, Jackson was pop’s fastest-rising star, having bridged the teenybopper mania of the Jackson 5 with mature disco-soul hits on his 1979 solo breakthrough, Off the Wall.
—Greg Poole, Rolling Stone, 5 Mar. 2026
To ensure innovation breakthroughs, Chinese officials projected an annual average growth of at least 7% in nationwide spending on research and development.
—ABC News, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for breakthrough
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breakthrough
Noun
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The city approved a Phase 1 revitalization plan shepherded by the La Jolla Sunrise Rotary Club to replace walls and doors in the station’s sleeping areas, along with other improvements.—
Noah Lyons,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Mar. 2026
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The city is working with Sacramento County and Sacramento Regional Transit to identify safety improvements along the road, including possible dedicated bus lanes and pedestrian upgrades.—
Madison Smalstig,
Sacbee.com,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The food and drink Guests discuss menu preferences in advance and an appropriate chef will be brought in accordingly to provide three meals a day, plus cakes at tea.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 Mar. 2026
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However, despite rapid advances in AI models, large-scale commercial deployment remains one of the industry’s biggest challenges.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Because of these advantages, amorphous metals have previously been used in specialized electrical components such as transformers, but applying them to automotive traction motors represents a more recent advancement.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Mar. 2026
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Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Breakthrough.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breakthrough. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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