break through

verb4

1. •
   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
2. •
   To make or force a way through (a barrier).
3. •
   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
4. •
   (informal) To cross a perceptual threshold during the use of certain psychedelics in which one experiences drug-induced reverie or hallucinations.