break through

verb

1. intr to penetrate
2. intr, adverb to achieve success, make a discovery, etc, esp after lengthy efforts

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

Idioms and Phrases

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.

Example Sentences

The burglary took place at around 23:45 on Sunday 13 October, and was reported to have involved scaling a six-foot perimeter fence and escaping by breaking through a gate with a stolen vehicle.

From BBC

“I don’t discount that it was something that people thought about, a barrier that we’ve yet as a country to break through relative to women at the top office,” Butler said.

From Los Angeles Times

However, it could take a month or two to fully take effect, and ketamine plus intensive psychotherapy were really the only things that broke through to treating his CPTSD.

From Salon

It would take Robinson running wide open down the seam to break through the stalemate, as Maiava floated a touch pass to the wideout, who ran 49 yards untouched into the end zone.

From Los Angeles Times

Timing the explosion to coincide with traffic to conceal the noise, they managed to break through.

From BBC

Related Words

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