break through

British  

verb

1. (intr) to penetrate

2. (intr, adverb) to achieve success, make a discovery, etc, esp after lengthy efforts

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noun

1. a significant development or discovery, esp in science

2. the penetration of an enemy's defensive position or line in depth and strength

break through Idioms  

1. Penetrate a barrier or obstruction, as in They broke through the wall to get into the vault, or It won't be long before we break through the code and map all human genes. Used literally for going through a physical barrier since about 1400, this phrase began to be used figuratively in the late 1500s.

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Example Sentences

His goals for Guadalajara in their run to the title play-off round semi-final of Liga MX saw him break through to the national side.

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

But outside of one lead comedy actress nomination for “Poker Face” star Natasha Lyonne, the platform has struggled to break through in the major scripted categories.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 1, 2026

The fact that he continues to struggle to break through while many far lesser talents succeed says something about both the industry and our culture at large.

From Salon • May 15, 2026

You don’t know them outside of the clips–slash–paid ads, but you feel like you do, which makes it all the more difficult for actually scrupulous journalists and fact-finders to break through and correct the record.

From Slate • May 6, 2026

In order to break through Octavian’s blockade, Mark Antony had outfitted his 230 ships with 20,000 infantry and 2,000 archers and slingers.

From "Sterling Biographies®: Cleopatra: Egypt's Last and Greatest Queen" by Susan Blackaby

Related Words

• arrive
• come
• come out
• crop up
• develop
• emerge
• materialize
• occur
• pop up
• present
• show
• show up
• surface
• turn out
• turn up