View synonyms for breakthrough

breakthrough

[breyk-throo]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a military movement or advance all the way through and beyond an enemy's frontline defense.
an act or instance of removing or surpassing an obstruction or restriction; the overcoming of a stalemate.
The president reported a breakthrough in the treaty negotiations.
any significant or sudden advance, development, achievement, or increase, as in scientific knowledge or diplomacy, that removes a barrier to progress.
The jet engine was a major breakthrough in air transport.
Medicine/Medical., an infection, disease, disorder, or condition that occurs in an individual despite their having received a vaccine, medication, or treatment.
Covid breakthroughs are usually less severe than infections in unvaccinated people, indicating that the vaccine is still doing its job of combating the virus.

constituting a breakthrough: Critics called it a breakthrough film.
Their products are engineered with breakthrough technology.
Critics called it a breakthrough film.
Medicine/Medical., relating to or being an infection, disease, disorder, or condition that occurs as a breakthrough: She experienced disabling breakthrough pain despite the high dose of painkillers she was taking.
In the original vaccine trial, 89% of breakthrough infections were with a particular family of virus strains.
She experienced disabling breakthrough pain despite the high dose of painkillers she was taking.

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First recorded in 1915–20; noun use of verb phrase break through

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

Researchers expect major breakthroughs in physics, medical research, cryptography and several other fields as these machines mature.

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