cross the line
idiom
: to go beyond what is proper or acceptable
Her criticism crossed the line from helpful to just plain hurtful.
The magazine crossed the line when they printed the nude photos.
Examples of cross the line in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The first to cross the line is the winner.
—
ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026
Adamczyková got close in the end but came up short, leaving Baff to cross the line with both hands in the air and disbelief on her face.
—Brendan Quinn, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026
On that note, when does a federal law enforcement response cross the line and violate the 10th Amendment?
—Andrea Katz, The Conversation, 26 Jan. 2026
Those groups have been at the forefront of the resistance to ICE, and some of their leaders have been asking difficult questions: When does protest cross the line into violence?
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cross the line
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ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026
Adamczyková got close in the end but came up short, leaving Baff to cross the line with both hands in the air and disbelief on her face.
—Brendan Quinn, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026
On that note, when does a federal law enforcement response cross the line and violate the 10th Amendment?
—Andrea Katz, The Conversation, 26 Jan. 2026
Those groups have been at the forefront of the resistance to ICE, and some of their leaders have been asking difficult questions: When does protest cross the line into violence?
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cross the line
Cite this Entry
“Cross the line.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cross%20the%20line. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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