quantum leap

noun

plural quantum leaps

: an abrupt change, sudden increase, or dramatic advance

Note: Quantum leap is rarely used in scientific contexts, but it originated as a synonym of quantum jump, which describes an abrupt transition (as of an electron, an atom, or a molecule) from one discrete energy state to another.

Examples of quantum leap in a Sentence

Prices have taken a quantum leap upward. The new drug is a quantum leap in the fight against cancer.

Recent Examples on the Web The quantum leap in cryptography is upon us, and those who prepare now will be best positioned to thrive in the post-quantum world. —

Anand Kashyap, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024 Embracing the freedom to retreat facilitates a quantum leap while the sun meets Uranus. —

USA TODAY, 19 Sep. 2024 But what if, like the autonomous Waymo, healthcare could evolve and embrace a quantum leap forward? —

Smriti Kirubanandan, Forbes, 18 Sep. 2024 Have More Natural, Context-Aware Conversations With Siri The revamped Siri, powered by Apple Intelligence, is a quantum leap in virtual assistant technology. —

Bernard Marr, Forbes, 9 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for quantum leap

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'quantum leap.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.