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
The debate reached a boiling point over the past week as Trump loyalists including Laura Loomer, a right-wing activist, attacked the visas on social media, calling them a threat to American workers and the country’s sovereignty.
—
Ken Bensinger, New York Times, 29 Dec. 2024
Meanwhile, inside Squid Game, tensions reach a boiling point as Gi-hun and his allies clash with the guards, sparking an armed rebellion.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2024
Subscriber Exclusive Also: From Howie Carr, the sordid history of the Governor’s Council
The tale of a local option fee on high-dollar property sales is likely far from over as debate over housing policy starts to reach a boiling point on Beacon Hill.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 21 Dec. 2024
The murder has been a boiling point in Americans' anger over the health care industry, as many have cited their own negative experiences in dealing with insurance claims.
—Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 15 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for boiling point 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Ken Bensinger, New York Times, 29 Dec. 2024
Meanwhile, inside Squid Game, tensions reach a boiling point as Gi-hun and his allies clash with the guards, sparking an armed rebellion.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2024
Subscriber Exclusive Also: From Howie Carr, the sordid history of the Governor’s Council
The tale of a local option fee on high-dollar property sales is likely far from over as debate over housing policy starts to reach a boiling point on Beacon Hill.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 21 Dec. 2024
The murder has been a boiling point in Americans' anger over the health care industry, as many have cited their own negative experiences in dealing with insurance claims.
—Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 15 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for boiling point
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 9 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
boiling point
noun
boil·ing point
ˈbȯi-liŋ-ˌpȯint 
: the temperature at which a liquid boils
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share