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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
Their demands were prompted by the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza that reached a boiling point on Oct. 7 when Hamas killed 1,200 Israelis and took 250 as hostages.
—Sierra Lopez, The Mercury News, 16 May 2024
First the tomatoes are pasteurized in a vat at the precise boiling point of water, 212 degrees Fahrenheit, for an hour, then in a tank at 122 degrees for 20 minutes.
—Ligaya Mishan Anthony Cotsifas Emily Woo Zeller Tanya Pérez Quinton Kamara, New York Times, 13 May 2024
When her frustration and anger at Jesse reaches a boiling point, everyone in the story is affected.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 12 May 2024
There is a lot of untapped potential with geothermal
Boise's system is only used for heat because the warm water in the geothermal aquifer beneath this city of 230,000 is below the boiling point.
—Kirk Siegler, NPR, 8 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for boiling point
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'boiling point.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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 16 Jun. 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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