idiom · formal

break new ground

UK/breɪk njuː ˈɡraʊnd/US/breɪk nuː ˈɡraʊnd/break·NEW·GROUND

task2speaking

to do something innovative or pioneering; to introduce new ideas or methods

Examples

The research team broke new ground with their study on renewable materials.

Her design broke new ground in sustainable architecture.

Universities that break new ground often attract top scholars and funding.

Band 8 sentence

By integrating AI with traditional methods, the team broke new ground in archaeological analysis.

Collocations

  • break new ground in research/technology
  • be groundbreaking/breakthrough

Word family

break verbgroundbreaking adjective

Common mistakes

break the groundbreak new ground

make new groundbreak new ground

Say it for a higher band

5do something new6innovate7+break new ground

Synonyms

innovate

Easily confused

make a breakthrough

Scientists made a breakthrough in cancer therapy.

Related words

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