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

See Examples For:

break through

If he does not progress, England must hope there is a young striker ready to break through in the next few years.

From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026

“Brands that break through speak to somebody specifically, and who we speak to is somebody we call the ‘cultural rebel,’ ” Tresvant said during an interview last year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026

Exactly how soft lithium dendrites manage to break through a hard ceramic electrolyte has long puzzled researchers.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 10, 2026

The good news is that the much-needed public discussion of this issue is starting to break through the shamed silence.

From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026

When I raise my eyes from the floor to meet his, I can see the red veins fighting to break through.

From "Like Vanessa" by Tami Charles

Related Words

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