Synonyms

groundbreaking

American

[ground-brey-king] / ˈgraʊndˌbreɪ kɪŋ /

noun

the act or ceremony of breaking ground for a new construction project.

adjective

of or relating to such a ceremony.
originating or pioneering a new endeavor, field of inquiry, or the like.

Pasteur's groundbreaking work in bacteriology.

Etymology

Origin of groundbreaking

First recorded in 1905–10; ground ¹ + break + -ing ¹, -ing ²

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.

In “A Fate Worse Than Hell,” W. Fitzhugh Brundage offers a groundbreaking examination of this striking departure from past practice in how captured enemy soldiers were dealt with.

From The Wall Street Journal

It’s easy to forget that when cassettes debuted in the mid-1960s, the technology was groundbreaking.

From Los Angeles Times

Sports data analysis has surged since the days of "Moneyball", the hit 2011 film with Brad Pitt that recounts manager Billy Beane's groundbreaking exploitation of player statistics at the Oakland Athletics baseball team.

From Barron's

The next season, she won her first national championship and has gained as much attention for her mental health and LGBTQ+ rights advocacy as for her groundbreaking triple axel.

From Los Angeles Times

These include the groundbreaking potential of exposomics research, a strategic plan for building a truly global network, and practical approaches to overcoming scientific and policy challenges ahead.

From Science Daily

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023