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groundbreaking

American  
[ground-brey-king] / ˈgraʊndˌbreɪ kɪŋ /

noun

  1. the act or ceremony of breaking ground for a new construction project.

adjective

  1. of or relating to such a ceremony.

  2. originating or pioneering a new endeavor, field of inquiry, or the like.

    Pasteur's groundbreaking work in bacteriology.

Etymology

Origin of groundbreaking

First recorded in 1905–10; ground 1 + break + -ing 1, -ing 2

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The fund, with an expense ratio of 0.09%, was widely considered groundbreaking as the first popular ETF when it hit the market in 1993.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

What emerged was a groundbreaking proposal for how to define the term “cure” in myeloma.

From Slate • Mar. 29, 2026

She describes life as "very chaotic, very up and down", until the NHS approved the use of groundbreaking new drug Trikafta, also known as Kaftrio, in 2020.

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026

A groundbreaking comedy for its time, it paved the way for other sketch comedy that followed using the same formula, more or less, such as “The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour” and “Saturday Night Live.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

He wondered if he would be introduced personally to Kimberly Lou Dixon when she came to Coconut Cove to attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the new pancake house.

From "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.