break ground
Idioms-
Also, break new ground.
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Begin digging into the earth for new construction of some kind. For example, When will they break ground for the town hall? This usage alludes to breaking up the land with a plow. [Early 1700s]
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Take the first steps for a new venture; advance beyond previous achievements. For example, Jeff is breaking new ground in intellectual property law . [Early 1700s]
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 developers hope to break ground by the end of the year on the 60-acre facility at a former oil terminal in Bayonne.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026
Smithfield plans to formally break ground on construction in the first half of 2027 and begin production at the end of 2028.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 16, 2026
Family members loaned Thang four glittering one-luong bars -- a standard Vietnamese unit equivalent to 1.2 troy ounces -- to break ground on his house in 2022.
From Barron's • Jan. 30, 2026
Lawmakers know that most of these sites break ground long before the public even hears about them.
From Salon • Dec. 28, 2025
He would watch my beans break ground and spread, and would notice with pleasure their pods growing plump.
From "Seedfolks" by Paul Fleischman
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.
