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
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Recent Examples of breakthroughs
The progress was built on earlier breakthroughs – in 2013, the team added an internal airflow path to an existing nozzle, allowing thrust to be redirected without power loss.
—
Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 8 Feb. 2026
In the art studio, children collaborated on a colorful mural honoring Henrietta Lacks, an African American woman whose cancer cells were widely used in medical research and led to major scientific breakthroughs.
—Eva Andersen, CBS News, 7 Feb. 2026
His work often focuses on patients who rely on the Texas Medical Center, medical breakthroughs and the health care professionals who work in the largest medical center in the world.
—Julian Gill, Houston Chronicle, 6 Feb. 2026
Despite the promise of AI and imaging, Lam argues that some of the most critical breakthroughs are deceptively simple.
—Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 5 Feb. 2026
The first trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi took place last month but did not produce major breakthroughs.
—Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 5 Feb. 2026
Resolving the mystery of this mature baby cluster will yield important breakthroughs no matter what, Dolag says.
—Lee Billings, Scientific American, 4 Feb. 2026
Deeptech start-ups are built on hard science or engineering breakthroughs that solve big problems, not just on apps or consumer trends.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 4 Feb. 2026
In fact, one specific area where AI is making a palpable difference in health care is in cancer treatment, where Caris Life Sciences is leveraging the technology in pursuit of cutting-edge breakthroughs in oncology.
—Dallas Morning News, 1 Feb. 2026
Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 8 Feb. 2026
In the art studio, children collaborated on a colorful mural honoring Henrietta Lacks, an African American woman whose cancer cells were widely used in medical research and led to major scientific breakthroughs.
—Eva Andersen, CBS News, 7 Feb. 2026
His work often focuses on patients who rely on the Texas Medical Center, medical breakthroughs and the health care professionals who work in the largest medical center in the world.
—Julian Gill, Houston Chronicle, 6 Feb. 2026
Despite the promise of AI and imaging, Lam argues that some of the most critical breakthroughs are deceptively simple.
—Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 5 Feb. 2026
The first trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi took place last month but did not produce major breakthroughs.
—Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 5 Feb. 2026
Resolving the mystery of this mature baby cluster will yield important breakthroughs no matter what, Dolag says.
—Lee Billings, Scientific American, 4 Feb. 2026
Deeptech start-ups are built on hard science or engineering breakthroughs that solve big problems, not just on apps or consumer trends.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 4 Feb. 2026
In fact, one specific area where AI is making a palpable difference in health care is in cancer treatment, where Caris Life Sciences is leveraging the technology in pursuit of cutting-edge breakthroughs in oncology.
—Dallas Morning News, 1 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breakthroughs
Noun
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The bill would also create a new program for water conveyance improvements, providing funding to upgrade aging infrastructure and build new facilities needed to move water supplies.—
Chaewon Chung,
Sacbee.com,
5 Feb. 2026
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Some research suggests collagen supplementation may result in small improvements in skin hydration or elasticity.—
LeeAnn Weintraub,
Daily News,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The United States is leading in robot intelligence through advances in physical AI, in which machines are trained to understand physics and operate in the real world.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Feb. 2026
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This commitment drives meaningful change, identifies systemic challenges, and advances solutions to improve safety.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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According to Chinese experts, such events highlight the country’s technological prowess and advancements in robotics, including their applications.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Feb. 2026
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Despite significant advancements in medical research, a troubling disparity persists in funding allocated to women-specific medical research.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Baltimore Sun,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Breakthroughs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breakthroughs. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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