case in point

noun phrase

: an illustrative, relevant, or pertinent case

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web The current state of the Amazon is a case in point: scientists fear that losses of ecosystem resilience from deforestation combined with rising temperatures have created a threshold from which these rich forests may not recover, threatening to leave the region in a state of perpetual drought. Pamela Mcelwee, Scientific American, 21 Apr. 2023 Enel is a case in point. Peter Vanham, Fortune, 20 Apr. 2023 As a case in point, the island of Simeulue was close to the epicenter of the 2004 earthquake, yet among a population of some 80,000 people, only seven died in the tsunami, an outcome that owes much to the attentiveness of the inhabitants to the behavior of the local fauna. WIRED, 30 Mar. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'case in 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

1647, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of case in point was in 1647

Dictionary Entries Near case in point

Cite this Entry

“Case in point.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/case%20in%20point. Accessed 7 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

case in point

: a typical or relevant case

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