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

While El Barbry's income is growing, Willment explains the success of streamers who have built audiences "overshadows" the fact that "thousands, if not millions of people" are earning nothing, trying to break through.

From BBC

These films break through a dense documentary market with their stirring portraits of wars, political leaders, activists, artists, musicians, movements, and occasionally, regular people like you and me.

From Salon

The White House has backed the Senate legislation, though housing policy has struggled to break through in Washington as the war in Iran and other issues dominate the political agenda.

From Barron's

As the disruption worries mount, there are other softtware companies that could break through the threat, as well.

From Barron's

Mr. McElwee broke through in the 1980s with the great documentary “Sherman’s March,” which also screened at this year’s festival.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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