break through
phr. v..phr. v.. to force your way through a barrier or to make a sudden discovery after a long struggle.
phr. v.. to penetrate a physical or metaphorical barrier; often used to describe a sudden advancement in knowledge or the successful overcoming of resistance.
The sun finally managed to break through the thick clouds.
Scientists are hoping to break through with a new treatment for the disease after years of research.
The protesters managed to break through the police lines, surging toward the parliament building in a display of collective frustration.
can be used both literally for physical barriers and figuratively for scientific or personal progress.
distinguish between the phrasal verb and the noun 'breakthrough'; the verb often takes an object when physical, but can be intransitive when describing a discovery.
They made a break through in the lab.They made a breakthrough in the lab.use the single word 'breakthrough' as a noun; 'break through' is the verb form.