ground-breaking
Never done before
Ground-breaking describes something that breaks new ground—pioneering, innovative, first of its kind: a ground-breaking study on climate change, ground-breaking research in genetics.
The literal sense refers to the ceremonial first dig at a construction site, where officials turn soil with shovels to mark the project's beginning.
Also spelled as one word: groundbreaking.
Accomplished goal or deed
- accomplishmentSuccessful completion of aim
- benchmarkStandard for comparison
- cornerstoneFoundational building block
- landmarkNotable point of reference
pinnacle · culmination · watershed · historic · momentous · seminal · defining · pivotal
Causing major change
- radicalRoot-indicating symbol
- game-changerSomething transforming everything
- disruptiveTending to interrupt order
- upheavalViolent disturbance of order
reform · overhaul · watershed · landmark · trailblazing · visionary · avant-garde · iconoclastic
New device or method
- discoveryAct of finding something
- breakthroughSudden important advance
- advancementForward movement or promotion
- technologyApplied scientific methods
research · prototype · patent · ingenuity · creativity · experimentation · engineering · design
Tool for moving earth
- ribbon-cuttingCeremonial opening event
- podiumRaised platform for speakers
- dignitariesPersons of high rank
- inaugurationFormal beginning ceremony
foundation · construction · site · excavation · plaque · officials · blessing · launch
achievement
Accomplished goal or deed
- accomplishmentSuccessful completion of aim
- benchmarkStandard for comparison
- cornerstoneFoundational building block
landmark · pinnacle · culmination · watershed · historic · momentous · seminal · defining · pivotal · significant
transformative
Causing major change
- radicalRoot-indicating symbol
- game-changerSomething transforming everything
- disruptiveTending to interrupt order
upheaval · reform · overhaul · watershed · landmark · trailblazing · visionary · avant-garde · iconoclastic · subversive
invention
New device or method
- discoveryAct of finding something
- breakthroughSudden important advance
- advancementForward movement or promotion
technology · research · prototype · patent · ingenuity · creativity · experimentation · engineering · design · development
shovel
Tool for moving earth
- ribbon-cuttingCeremonial opening event
- podiumRaised platform for speakers
- dignitariesPersons of high rank
inauguration · foundation · construction · site · excavation · plaque · officials · blessing · launch · stakeholders
- hyphenated wordsup-to-date, pitch-black, jaw-dropping, round-the-clock, air-conditioned
- real estatehouse, home, apartment, property, sale
ground-breakingderivative
Function's rate of change
unoriginal · imitative · copied · formulaic · copycat
ground-breakinginsignificant
Lacking importance or consequence
trivial · unremarkable · inconsequential · negligible · forgettable
ground-breakingconventional
Following accepted practices
traditional · orthodox · conservative · standard · mainstream
ground, break, breaking, grounds, grounded, grounding, groundless, breaks, broken