Synonyms of breakthrough

breakthrough

noun

ˈbrāk-ˌthrü 

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• improvement
• advance
• advancement
• enhancement
• development
• innovation
• discovery
• refinement
• evolution
• increase
• upturn
• upswing
• revival
• amelioration
• strengthening
• maturation
• enlightenment
• growth
• betterment
• find
• renaissance
• education
• boost
• expansion
• quantum leap
• uplift
• windfall
• gestation
• ripening
• elaboration
• civilization
• melioration
• upgrade
• perfection
• heightening
• edification
• uptrend
• renascence
• invention

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• setback
• breakdown
• collapse
• crash
• reduction
• impediment
• hindrance
• decrease
• failing
• decline
• deterioration
• stumbling block
• worsening
• lapse
• weakening
• decay
• degeneration
• sinking
• impairment
• descent
• drawback
• shortcoming
• slowing
• lessening
• decadence
• downgrade
• detriment
• glitch
• declension
• diminishment
• disablement
• flagging
• languishment
• ebbing

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of breakthrough

OpenAI’s advances have a head start here because, like many other recent AI math breakthroughs, the proofs came with a formal write-up in a proof assistant language called Lean. — Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2026

Winning the title of Emerging Act of the Year was Ken Pomeroy, whose LP Cruel Joke was one of the best breakthroughs of 2025. — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 17 Sep. 2026

That’s a breakthrough win for King/Drew against a quality Southern Section opponent. — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026

If Ngumoha’s breakthrough pre-season came ahead of the 2025-26 season, Nyoni’s came this summer. — Andy Jones, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026