English · Word Candidate

breakthrough

/ˈbɹeɪk.θɹuː/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: breakthroughs

Sense 1

Meaning · English

Characterized by major progress or overcoming some obstacle.

Adjective

Examples

a breakthrough technological advance

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

Involving the contraction of a disease by a person with a decreased susceptibility, such as a person who has been vaccinated to help prevent that disease.

Adjective

Examples

Breakthrough infections (urine infections that develop in children on antibiotics) can occasionally occur, and if they do, different preventative antibiotics can be given or sometimes surgery to fix the leaky valve can be undertaken.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

An advance through and past enemy lines.

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 4

Meaning · English

Any major progress; such as a great innovation or discovery that overcomes a significant obstacle.

Noun

Examples

Albert Einstein is credited with making some of the greatest breakthroughs in modern physics.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “breakthrough” mean?

Characterized by major progress or overcoming some obstacle.

Is “breakthrough” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.

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