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boiling point
noun
1
: the temperature at which a liquid boils
2
a
: the point at which a person becomes uncontrollably angry
b
: the point of crisis : head sense 17b
matters had reached the boiling point
Synonyms
Examples of boiling point in a Sentence
The boiling point of water is 212° Fahrenheit or 100° Celsius.
when the situation reached the boiling point, the President had no choice but to order out the National Guard
Recent Examples on the Web
However, tensions within the family reached a boiling point when Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley) made a bold move by publicly calling for his father's impeachment.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
Islanders have been dealing with economic turmoil stemming from a financial crisis that reached its boiling point in 2015, when Puerto Rico accumulated about $72 billion in public debt — yet, unlike other U.S. jurisdictions, couldn't legally file for bankruptcy.
—Nicole Acevedo, NBC News, 31 Oct. 2024
Four police officers were on hand nearby as interactions between Trump and Harris supporters have hit intermittent boiling points.
—Nick Coltrain, The Denver Post, 11 Oct. 2024
Energy analysts have warned about a prevailing sense of bearish sentiment in the market, even as flaring tensions in the Middle East threaten to reach a new boiling point.
—Sam Meredith, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1741, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near boiling point
Cite this Entry
“Boiling point.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boiling%20point. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
boiling point
noun1
: the temperature at which a liquid boils
2
: the point at which a person becomes uncontrollably angry
3
: the point of crisis
Medical Definition
boiling point
noun
boil·ing point
ˈbȯi-liŋ-ˌpȯint
: the temperature at which a liquid boils
More from Merriam-Webster on boiling point
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about boiling point
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