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
Porat pointed to breakthroughs in health care as proof of AI’s broader promise.
—
Dave Smith, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2025
University research and private-sector breakthroughs have shown that quantum computing is real.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 24 Oct. 2025
These breakthroughs often reshape both behavior and relationships, turning frustration into understanding.
—Malana Vantyler, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025
At the same time, China is pushing the envelope, making breakthroughs in next-generation nuclear technologies that have eluded the West.
—Brad Plumer, New York Times, 22 Oct. 2025
Newman leads breakthroughs in treating triple negative breast cancer, and much of her research is focused on addressing racial and ethnic disparities in breast cancer.
—Katie Abel, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2025
While not pie in the sky, the quantum computing breakthroughs won’t be producing commercial compute for a very long time.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 19 Oct. 2025
Trump last met with Putin in Alaska in August, a high-profile summit that included a military flyover but yielded no major breakthroughs.
—Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2025
These breakthroughs are built on decades of insights.
—Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025
Dave Smith, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2025
University research and private-sector breakthroughs have shown that quantum computing is real.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 24 Oct. 2025
These breakthroughs often reshape both behavior and relationships, turning frustration into understanding.
—Malana Vantyler, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025
At the same time, China is pushing the envelope, making breakthroughs in next-generation nuclear technologies that have eluded the West.
—Brad Plumer, New York Times, 22 Oct. 2025
Newman leads breakthroughs in treating triple negative breast cancer, and much of her research is focused on addressing racial and ethnic disparities in breast cancer.
—Katie Abel, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2025
While not pie in the sky, the quantum computing breakthroughs won’t be producing commercial compute for a very long time.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 19 Oct. 2025
Trump last met with Putin in Alaska in August, a high-profile summit that included a military flyover but yielded no major breakthroughs.
—Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2025
These breakthroughs are built on decades of insights.
—Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breakthroughs
Noun
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Henry credits it with driving recent improvements in BHP’s cost base and free cash flow.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
24 Oct. 2025
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If approved, the program would measure improvements by comparing passenger count data to fare collection data, according to the release.—
Claudia Levens,
jsonline.com,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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There have been incredible advances in treatments to manage diabetes, and identifying the condition in its early stages can vastly lower your risk for serious complications.—
Caroline C. Boyle,
USA Today,
3 Nov. 2025
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In the 50 years since the Edmund Fitzgerald sank in Lake Superior, killing her crew of 29, many advances in weather and technology have made bulk carrier shipping safer.—
Keith Matheny,
Freep.com,
2 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more.—
Jack Guy,
CNN Money,
31 Oct. 2025
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His main goal behind joining Interesting Engineering is to learn more about how the recent technological advancements are helping human beings on both societal and individual levels in their daily lives.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Breakthroughs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breakthroughs. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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