break through

See also: breakthrough

English

break through (third-person singular simple present breaks through, present participle breaking through, simple past broke through, past participle broken through)

(intransitive, idiomatic) To gain popularity.
- 2024 June 26, Stephanie McNeal, “Influencers Aren’t Getting Famous Like They Used To”, in Glamour‎^[1], archived from the original on 13 August 2024:
  We are in a drought of famous influencers, and it may be here to stay. People just aren’t breaking through online the way they used to, becoming household names and garnering real, mainstream fame.
(intransitive, sports) To penetrate the defence of the opposition.
- 2011 September 2, “Wales 2-1 Montenegro”, in BBC Sport‎^[2], archived from the original on 19 April 2022:
  Montenegro gave Wales a scare in the first minute at the Cardiff City Stadium when Stevan Jovetic broke through, only to screw his shot well wide.
(transitive) To make or force a way through (a barrier).
(colloquial, idiomatic) To cross a perceptual threshold during the use of certain psychedelics in which one experiences drug-induced reverie or hallucinations.
- 2020, DubbyD, im hitting my dmt cart right now‎^[3], spoken by CSGO player Loc T Nguyen:
  I'm hitting my DMT cart right now. Hold up, hold on nigga. I'm hittin' it not enough to break through though. Oh my God! Oh my God nigga ugghh. I'm- ohhh my God, dude! Ohhh, ahhh! Oh my God! Holy fuck! Oh my God! Oohhh. Oohhh! God! Oh my God! Ahhh! Fuck, I'm breaking through bro. Ohh!
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see break,‎ through.

to gain popularity

make or force a way through (a barrier)