Breakthrough
Breakthrough noun - An instance of notable progress in the development of knowledge, technology, or skill.
Usage example: Alexander Fleming's discovery of penicillin was one of medicine's great breakthroughs, for penicillin became the first antibiotic to successfully combat bacterial infections in humans
Decay is an antonym for breakthrough.
Decay
Decay noun - A gradual sinking and wasting away of mind or body.
Breakthrough is an antonym for decay.
How words are described
| real | real breakthrough | real decay |
| massive | massive breakthrough | massive decay |
| early | early breakthrough | early decay |
| major | major breakthrough | major decay |
| Other adjectives: significant, cultural, overall, technological. | ||
Cite this Source
Decay and Breakthrough. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 22, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/breakthrough/decay
Breakthrough & Decay. N.p., 2016. Web. 22 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/breakthrough/decay>.
Decay or Breakthrough. 2016. Accessed July 22, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/breakthrough/decay.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "breakthrough" and "decay" have occurred on timeline