breakthrough
breakthrough — noun
1. a new discovery, method, or success that suddenly makes real progress possible a
a new discovery, method, or success that suddenly makes real progress possible after a long, difficult problem.
After ten failed tests, Mei's team finally made a breakthrough in battery design.
make a breakthrough in + field
Doctors called the new scan a breakthrough for children with heart disease.
a breakthrough for + group
The peace talks reached a breakthrough when both sides accepted the river border.
For years the case was cold, then one phone record brought a breakthrough.
A breakthrough in clean water could help thousands of families on the island.
- advance
broader and often more gradual; a breakthrough usually feels sudden and important.
- discovery
fits new findings; a breakthrough can also be a method, agreement, or technical success.
- milestone
marks progress along the way; it does not always suggest solving a block.
- leap forward
more informal and strongly emphasizes speed or size of progress.
文法句型
make a breakthrough in + field
a breakthrough for + person / group
reach a breakthrough
用法筆記
Often appears with verbs like make, achieve, reach, announce, or bring. The noun usually names progress in a field or toward a hard solution, not just any good result.
常見錯誤
breakthrough — adjective
1. bringing a major change because it gets past a serious problem or opens the way
bringing a major change because it gets past a serious problem or opens the way to much better results.
The hospital bought a breakthrough device that finds tiny tumors earlier.
breakthrough + device
Ravi won an award for his breakthrough work on safer bus batteries.
breakthrough + work
Breakthrough treatment gave Hana's father more time at home.
The lab shared breakthrough results after months of failed attempts.
Investors backed the startup because its breakthrough software cut farm waste.
- groundbreaking
very close in meaning and common in journalism; often slightly broader in tone.
- pioneering
stresses being among the first, not necessarily removing a major obstacle.
- revolutionary
stronger and more dramatic; sometimes sounds promotional.
文法句型
breakthrough + discovery / treatment / device / results
用法筆記
Usually comes before nouns such as discovery, treatment, device, or research. English speakers normally do not use it after a linking verb, so they say 'a breakthrough study', not 'the study is breakthrough'.