Synonyms of breakthroughs

breakthroughs

noun

plural of breakthrough

as in improvements

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

• improvements
• advances
• advancements
• developments
• innovations
• refinements
• enhancements
• discoveries
• educations
• evolutions
• increases
• gestations
• ameliorations
• betterments
• enlightenments
• upswings
• upturns
• civilizations
• revivals
• maturations
• perfections
• growths
• inventions
• quantum leaps
• windfalls
• elaborations
• upgrades
• edifications
• finds
• expansions
• uplifts
• meliorations
• renaissances
• uptrends
• boosts
• renascences

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• setbacks
• breakdowns
• impediments
• crashes
• reductions
• collapses
• hindrances
• failings
• stumbling blocks
• decreases
• lapses
• shortcomings
• declines
• degenerations
• drawbacks
• impairments
• glitches
• decays
• downgrades
• deteriorations
• descents
• declensions
• detriments
• diminishments
• decadences
• languishments
• disablements

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of breakthroughs

Canada Pursues New Trade Deals in Asia Carney's warning to Washington coincided with the announcement of two trade breakthroughs in Asia as his government seeks to reduce Canada's economic dependence on the United States. — Rich Percival, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2026

Some may lead to breakthroughs directly, while others may evolve into new proposals that help bridge the remaining gaps. — CBS News, 14 Nov. 2026

Some of the most consequential healthcare companies may come from researchers developing scientific breakthroughs, physicians who’ve witnessed persistent failures in patient care or technical founders who recognize opportunities others haven’t yet. — Mary Minno, Forbes.com, 12 Nov. 2026

The result can be claimed breakthroughs that have, as is the case here, already been made by someone else, or a general failure to credit earlier work. — Robert Hart, The Verge, 12 Nov. 2026

Mathematics now faces its greatest challenge yet in the age of AI, sparking heated debates on the role of human reasoning when the machines are making most of the major breakthroughs. — ArsTechnica, 10 Nov. 2026

The waste industry doesn’t fit neatly into his view of climate change as a problem to be solved mainly through technological breakthroughs. — Alex Cuadros, ProPublica, 10 Nov. 2026

Gelsinger pointed to several new breakthroughs in areas like optics, power management, and cooling that the industry has yet to adopt. — Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 6 Nov. 2026

That’s one reason researchers are focused on finding different ways to treat hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, with breakthroughs happening in an area known as novel endocrine therapies. — Petra Guglielmetti, Glamour, 6 Nov. 2026