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.
“Starting this summer, the West Gateway project will break ground and by summer 2028, over 12 million tons of clean beautiful coal per year will be shipped to countries all around the world,” Trump said.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026
This year, Prologis expects to break ground on between $4 billion and $5 billion in new developments, with data centers accounting for approximately 40% of the projected value.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 4, 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
David Grant, an artist who lost his house on the east side, expects to break ground on his new home by the end of January.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 6, 2026
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.
