broke ground

Began building work

Broke ground is the past tense of break ground, meaning to begin construction by digging into the earth: They broke ground on the new library last spring.

Figuratively, it means to do something innovative or unprecedented: Her research broke ground in cancer treatment.

The past participle is broken ground.

Related

turning point · earth · origination · trailblazing · pioneering · work · inception · excavation · foundation · trenching · soil · commencement · bulldozing · hard hat · breakthrough · inauguration · dirt · launch

Opposites
project lifecycle stage

broke groundtopped out

wrapped up · concluded · demolished · shuttered · finished

action vs. inaction

broke groundmothballed

Preserved but inactive

stalled · scrapped · shelved · canceled · cancelled

innovation/novelty

broke groundplayed it safe

Acted to minimize risk

copied · imitated · rehashed

Family

broke, ground, breaking, broken, breaks, breaker, breakage, outbreak, grounds

Familiarity
Top 200,000
Profile
Used worldwide · Timeless · Positive · Everyday, not technical · Rated G