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

• breaking point
• clutch
• conjuncture
• crisis
• crossroad(s)
• crunch
• crunch time
• Dunkirk
• emergency
• exigency
• extremity
• flash point
• head
• juncture
• tinderbox
• zero hour

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

Their sibling tension reached a boiling point at a recent family dinner after her parents announced plans for a vacation to celebrate their anniversary. —Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Newsweek, 5 Feb. 2025

The conflict between Brigham Young and Jim Bridger has also been heating up to a boiling point that’s sure to end in violence. —Keith Phipps, Vulture, 10 Jan. 2025

Relli testified that the bullets grazed his knuckles as the feud reached a boiling point with his childhood friend. —Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 23 Jan. 2025

Heat pumps work by moving and compressing fluids that have a very low boiling point. —IEEE Spectrum, 23 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1741, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

boiling point

noun

1

: 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