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
This year’s festival showcases an impressive blend of breakthrough acts and established favorites, with headliners like Olivia Rodrigo, Sabrina Carpenter and Tyler, the Creator.
—
Chicago Tribune, 28 July 2025
The teams combined for 21 shots without a goal, but both sides came close to finding the breakthrough.
—Franco Panizo, Miami Herald, 27 July 2025
After her breakthrough role as the bubbly, naïve Tai, Brittany Murphy's film career took off, landing her starring roles in 8 Mile (2002), Uptown Girls (2003), Just Married (2003) and Sin City (2005).
—Julia Emmanuele, People.com, 19 July 2025
Clueless was Murphy's breakthrough film, kicking off an impressive but tragically short career.
—Danny Horn, EW.com, 19 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for breakthrough
Chicago Tribune, 28 July 2025
The teams combined for 21 shots without a goal, but both sides came close to finding the breakthrough.
—Franco Panizo, Miami Herald, 27 July 2025
After her breakthrough role as the bubbly, naïve Tai, Brittany Murphy's film career took off, landing her starring roles in 8 Mile (2002), Uptown Girls (2003), Just Married (2003) and Sin City (2005).
—Julia Emmanuele, People.com, 19 July 2025
Clueless was Murphy's breakthrough film, kicking off an impressive but tragically short career.
—Danny Horn, EW.com, 19 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for breakthrough
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breakthrough
Noun
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Gale’s progressive social agenda gets wrapped in folksy, regionalist humor, as the Friendship Married Ladies Cemetery Improvement Sodality try to bring modern improvements to their village.—
Deborah Williams
July 14,
Literary Hub,
14 July 2025
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Both organizations emphasized improvements made to welfare systems and reporting procedures since 2016, when Endemol merged with Shine, and again in 2020 when Banijay acquired Endemol Shine.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
14 July 2025
Noun
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Reforms like Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution and Zero-Base Budgeting demanded that all federal agencies and initiatives define outcomes in advance and justify expenses with quantifiable projections.—
Time,
Time,
30 July 2025
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For instance, Steve Maggard, Cone Denim president, said the needle and laundry cost is lower in Asia, but there’s less flexibility and purchasing decisions must be made further in advance.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
30 July 2025
Noun
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This clearly demonstrates both innovative leadership and potential vulnerability for future advancements.—
Russell Sarder,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
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Some Western governments have previously linked Iran's space program to ballistic missile advancement, and this latest test is expected to factor into ongoing diplomatic discussions, including those related to Iran's nuclear program.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Breakthrough.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breakthrough. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
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