groundbreaking

adjective

ground·​break·​ing ˈgrau̇n(d)-ˌbrā-kiŋ How to pronounce groundbreaking (audio)
Synonyms of groundbreaking
: introducing new ideas or methods
has written a groundbreaking work

Examples of groundbreaking in a Sentence

She was honored for her groundbreaking work in nuclear physics.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
With its coronagraph and WFI, the telescope is designed to make groundbreaking strides in the fields of dark matter and dark energy, exoplanet discoveries, and will be capable of capturing views 100 times wider than those of its Hubble predecessor. — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 30 Aug. 2026 The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved a groundbreaking pancreatic cancer drug that experts predict will transform treatment for the notoriously deadly disease. — Erika Edwards, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2026 The Good Good Championship in a few months was seen as a novel concept bringing the old and new worlds of golf together in a groundbreaking way. — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026 Dolly Parton, one of the most groundbreaking and successful musicians in the history of country music, with a hitmaking career that spanned six decades and launched her into TV and movie stardom, died Tuesday after a brief cancer battle. — Faris Tanyos, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for groundbreaking

Word History

First Known Use

1904, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of groundbreaking was in 1904

Rhymes for groundbreaking

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Browse Nearby Words

groundbreaker
groundbreaking
ground burnut
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Cite this Entry

“Groundbreaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/groundbreaking. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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