What's "breakthrough" mean and when's it used?

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

A "breakthrough" means a sudden, dramatic, and important discovery or advance in knowledge and technique. It's used in relation to significant moments, as well as when a big success happens in one's life. Ex: The new vaccine was a medical breakthrough that doctors and scientists had worked on for years. Ex: Going to counseling is often a huge breakthrough for many people. Ex: Their album was a breakthrough and they soared to the top charts.

How do native speakers use this expression?

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Popular Q&As

06/21

1
So there's an institute of education for children like Helen Keller?
Globally, many institutes have been established to educate students with disabilities, including learning, visual, auditory, and physical, to name a few. They can be public or private institutions. Additionally, many public schools also have classes dedicated for students with disabilities.

2
What is "coder"?
A "coder" is someone who writes codes for computer software or programs. Ex: He graduated with a degree in computer science and became a coder.

3
what does 'just' mean here?
You can think of "just" in this context as meaning "nearly/almost," or "by a very short distance." The speaker has used it here to express that Malaysia is situated very close to the Equator (just North, or above, it). Ex: I live just north of Central Park. Ex: The police station is located just west of the central library.

4
Why does she suddenly say "dramatic"? Can I use "dramatically" instead?
She says "dramatic" to describe her "dramatic" curled eyelashes. "Dramatically" would not be suitable grammar in this sentence.

5
Does he mean that he placed something on TV? Or "put" means similar to "turn?"
It's actually not meant in a literal way! To "put" something on TV means to play or watch something on TV, like a movie or show. You can also use this verb with music! Ex: I put my favorite song on and danced to it while I got ready. Ex: My mom always put my favorite TV show on while we ate dinner.

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