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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
Related article Two transgender girls sue to challenge Trump’s executive order banning them from girls’ school sports
The Stonewall riots erupted as the gay rights movement of the 1960s was building momentum across the United States and frustrations were reaching a boiling point.
—
Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN, 13 Feb. 2025
The situation reached a boiling point following a Friday press conference by Fuji TV president Koichi Minato that drew widespread criticism for its lack of transparency.
—
Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 21 Jan. 2025
Friday’s game was a cathartic one for a Sabres team and fan base that had nearly reached its boiling point just a few days earlier.
—
Mark Lazerus, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024
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
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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 Feb. 2025.
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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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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