as in crisis
a time or state of affairs requiring prompt or decisive action
tensions between the two nations had risen to the breaking point
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Recent Examples of breaking point
Their relationship came to a breaking point when another student witnessed them kissing in January 2017.
—
Alex Gurley, People.com, 15 Mar. 2025
Others use it as a breaking point for transformation.
—Mark Davis, Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2025
Despite all the pastor’s conventionality and sanctimony, there are flames between them, but those flickers run fairly cool until a breaking point in which Manders at last makes explicit reference to them.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2025
There appeared to be a consensus Wednesday that Idaho’s child care industry is in crisis, with workers and parents stretched to a breaking point.
—Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 6 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for breaking point
Alex Gurley, People.com, 15 Mar. 2025
Others use it as a breaking point for transformation.
—Mark Davis, Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2025
Despite all the pastor’s conventionality and sanctimony, there are flames between them, but those flickers run fairly cool until a breaking point in which Manders at last makes explicit reference to them.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2025
There appeared to be a consensus Wednesday that Idaho’s child care industry is in crisis, with workers and parents stretched to a breaking point.
—Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 6 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for breaking point
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breaking point
Noun
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That’s a stark contrast to Ange Postecoglou’s high-intensity pressing style at Tottenham Hotspur, which is often cited as one of the reasons behind Spurs’ injury crisis and subsequent poor form this season.—
Steve Price,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
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Their routines, quiet and mundane, signal a growing — and largely invisible — crisis that threatens New York City’s future.—
Jonah Markowitz,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
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So while the sun can heat the water enough to brew tea, the water isn’t reaching a simmer or boiling point, which would kill harmful bacteria.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
22 Mar. 2025
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The issue reached a boiling point last fall with the in-rapid-succession deaths of actors Maggie Smith, Gavin Creel, Adrian Bailey and Ken Page.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
14 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Delimitros said one of the truck’s side view mirrors struck her in the head, causing minor injuries.—
David Hernandez,
sandiegouniontribune.com,
19 July 2017
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There's always one shot that leaves a golfer shaking his or her head.—
Mike Hutton,
Post-Tribune,
19 July 2017
Noun
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Antarctica is another flash point.—
Michael Albertus,
Foreign Affairs,
4 Mar. 2025
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The report identified specific flash points, including cross-border water tensions, and said some countries could experience instability, including from straining food and energy systems.—
Somini Sengupta,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Breaking point.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breaking%20point. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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