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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
As the world approaches a boiling point and U.S. interests become increasingly threatened in the Middle East, Europe, and the Asia Pacific, demonstrating unwavering commitment to our allies should be a no-brainer.
—TIME, 13 Feb. 2024
According to the company, high-efficiency insulation on the tanks keep the hydrogen below its ultra-low boiling point without active cooling.
—IEEE Spectrum, 13 Jan. 2024
In terms of molecular structure and psychoactive properties, THCV is similar to THC, but has a higher boiling point at 428 °F.
—Benjamin Adams, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023
Culture war clashes reach a boiling point The showdown Wednesday night between Holt, Ross, and members of the community was about far more than travel receipts and work conferences.
—Jenavieve Hatch, Sacramento Bee, 15 Feb. 2024
This very scenario has reached a boiling point in the world of crappies — of all things.
—Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 15 Feb. 2024
The tensions between the House’s ultraconservatives and the rest of the conference reached a boiling point last year after just eight GOP lawmakers voted with Democrats to remove former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., from his post.
—USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2024
As the hippo’s numbers burgeon, the scramble to curtail population growth has reached a boiling point.
—Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 26 Jan. 2024
In 2011, during the Arab Spring, the grievances of the Yemeni population reached a boiling point, and mass protests erupted calling for the resignation of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who had been ruling the country for over thirty years.
—Anna Gordon, TIME, 12 Jan. 2024
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 19 Mar. 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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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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