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

• crisis
• crossroad(s)
• breaking point
• head
• flash point

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 two years of tension reached a boiling point on June 2, 2023, when Lorincz and two of Owens' children got into a particularly heated exchange, according to the outlet. —Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025

Domestic tensions could reach a boiling point today. —Usa Today, USA Today, 20 Oct. 2025

Tensions reached a boiling point this January, when Laurence des Cars, the Louvre's president-director, sent a letter to France's culture minister outlining issues of concern - which was leaked to the press. —NPR, 20 Oct. 2025

But the bad days have been plentiful, and the boiling point was predictable. —Noah White, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1741, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for boiling point

• counterpoint
• disappoint
• multipoint
• needlepoint
• reappoint
• adjoint
• anoint
• appoint
• checkpoint
• conjoint
• disjoint
• endpoint

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