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
According to Chantel, that moment was the breaking point from years of unresolved trauma and tension.
—
Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 1 Aug. 2025
This is happening mostly because the U.S. housing market has reached a breaking point in terms of affordability: even as demand remains high and millions of Americans dream of homeownership, many just cannot afford it at the moment.
—Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 July 2025
Silicon Valley may soon be at this breaking point, if not already there.
—Rob Day, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025
Iraq was plunged into a nationwide blackout earlier this week, as a temperature surge to 122 degrees Fahrenheit (50° Celsius) — and subsequent spiking demand for electricity — pushed the country's faltering power grid to the breaking point.
—Natasha Turak, CNBC, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for breaking point
Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 1 Aug. 2025
This is happening mostly because the U.S. housing market has reached a breaking point in terms of affordability: even as demand remains high and millions of Americans dream of homeownership, many just cannot afford it at the moment.
—Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 July 2025
Silicon Valley may soon be at this breaking point, if not already there.
—Rob Day, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025
Iraq was plunged into a nationwide blackout earlier this week, as a temperature surge to 122 degrees Fahrenheit (50° Celsius) — and subsequent spiking demand for electricity — pushed the country's faltering power grid to the breaking point.
—Natasha Turak, CNBC, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for breaking point
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breaking point
Noun
-
Tyler's insistence on the latter set the precedent for all future presidential crises.—
Peter Aitken,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Aug. 2025
-
George, the Walter family patriarch, is facing a medical crisis.—
Claire Franken,
TVLine,
30 Aug. 2025
Noun
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And with the 2026 schedule now confirming a ninth signature event, the unsponsored Miami Championship at Trump National Doral, the tension has reached a boiling point.—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Aug. 2025
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The debate over how to update Indiana's grid without burdening ratepayers reached a boiling point Aug. 6, when Portage Mayor Austin Bonta said Soliday had sent him a threatening text in response to the mayor's statement about rate increases, which many residents had complained to him about.—
Marissa Meador,
IndyStar,
21 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Cal Fire representatives said the current parking mess has already impacted them because the driveway to their station enters the highway not far from the trail head.—
J. Harry Jones,
Ramona Sentinel,
19 July 2017
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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
Noun
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Abrego Garcia’s case became a flash point in Trump’s immigration crackdown after he was mistakenly deported to El Salvador in March. Venezuelans and immigrants from Afghanistan, Russia, Iran, China and other countries have also been sent to Costa Rica and Panama.—
Juan A. Lozano,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Aug. 2025
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The union will also be looking to address health and pension issues, a flash point ever since thousands of retirees were kicked off the health plan in 2020, as well as protections against artificial intelligence.—
Gene Maddaus,
Variety,
13 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Breaking point.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breaking%20point. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.
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