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Glite Dictionary
💪 To keep going 🌱 To break out
to push through

to push through

4 3.8
To break through soil or skin when new growth appears
  • phrasal verb
  • /pʊʃ θru/
translation icon : abrirse paso
  • After weeks of waiting, the new tooth pushed through her gums, easing her discomfort.
  • push through the soil
  • green shoots push through
  • shoots pushing through

And when roots grow down, they're pushing through soil.

Examples

  • The plant finally pushed through the soil as the sun warmed the earth.

  • Below: Termitomyces fungi push through the mound to produce mushrooms at the surface.

    Academic text (2002)

  • Outside, the first stars pushed through the sky.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • Patrick turned away and pushed through the doors to the outside.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • They keep pushing through, every spring, and I'm not giving up either.

    Betting on the Bride (2017)

  • The early morning breeze pushed through open windows and puffed the curtains into the room.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • Then a wild mass of strawberry-blonde hair pushed through the docking membrane.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • Only the red poppies pushing through the picket fence splashed a little color across the gray world.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • A stinging northeast wind off the Atlantic is pushing through cattails and seagrass.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • He watched in delight as the first sprouts pushed through the ground in his garden.

Synonyms

to erupt
vsto push through
123 4.2

To suddenly start in a strong or violent way, often showing strong feeling

describes gradual first appearance of growth, not an explosive or sudden outbreak
to pierce
vsto push through
110 3.5

To make a hole in something with a sharp object like a needle

refers to living growth appearing through a surface, not deliberate cutting
to cut
vsto push through
107 5.8

To start coming through the gums

is about natural initial growth coming through a surface, not a cutting act
to come through
vsto push through
49 3.8

To move through something from one side to the other

is specific to new growth emerging through a surface rather than general passage
to break through
vsto push through
43 3.7

To move suddenly through a barrier, as light or a person

is gentler, focusing on new growth appearing through a surface for the first time
to come out
vsto push through
38 2.0

To become loose and fall out, for example hair or teeth

describes new growth first appearing through a surface rather than detaching
to slice through
vsto push through
10 4.1

Cut or move quickly and smoothly through air and water

is about slow or steady natural emergence through an outer layer
to pierce through
vsto push through
3 4.4

Move into and through something by making a hole or gap

applies to gradual biological emergence rather than a forceful penetration
to slice into
vsto push through
3 4.2

Move a sharp object into something to cut it

focuses on new growth emerging through a surface rather than a blade action

Antonyms

to lie dormant
12 6.7

To be inactive but able to become active again

How Emergent

to push through
4 3.8
to emerge
249 3.5
to appear
873 1.0

Surface Forms

push through infinitive
pushed through past
pushed through past participle
pushing through present participle
pushes through third person singular

Morphology

push + through

The literal meanings of 'push' (apply force) and 'through' (from one side to the other) map onto a clear physical image of forcing something past obstacles, which supports a metaphorical reading of persevering. However, the perseverance sense requires a figurative extension of the physical image and relies on phrasal-verb usage, so a B1 learner might infer it but not fully predict it without exposure.

Etymology

Push through comes from the image of a plant shoot or a baby tooth using push to get through the soil or gum and appear for the first time. So, it means 'to break through a surface' or 'to emerge'.