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 of boiling point

• 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

Kimmie, played by Taylor Polidore Williams, finally levels the playing field with the Bellaire family just as tensions rise to another boiling point. — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 28 July 2026

Temperatures don’t need to hit boiling point for productivity losses to start showing. — Oliver Balch, Fortune, 27 July 2026

The entry documents the boiling point over divisions within the White House communications operation concerning the pandemic, and how desperately Fauci wanted to continue appearing in front of cameras. — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 27 July 2026

Things reached a boiling point in 2008, when NATAS tried to launch its own Broadband Emmys, and the TV Academy balked. — Michael Schneider, Variety, 27 July 2026

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