breaking through

Verb

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

1. (idiomatic, intransitive) To gain popularity.
   • 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.2024 June 26, Stephanie McNeal, “Influencers Aren’t Getting Famous Like They Used To”, in Glamour
2. (intransitive) To penetrate the defence of the opposition.
   • 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.2011 September 2, “Wales 2-1 Montenegro”, in BBC
3. (transitive) To make or force a way through (a barrier).
4. (colloquial, idiomatic) To cross a perceptual threshold during the use of certain psychedelics in which one experiences drug-induced reverie or hallucinations.
   • 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!2020, DubbyD, im hitting my dmt cart right now, spoken by CSGO player Loc T Nguyen
5. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see break, through.