rallying point

noun

plural rallying points
: someone or something that makes people join together to support a person, cause, etc. or that rouses people to action
In the wake of his resignation, Benedict has become a rallying point for conservatives who have opposed Pope Francis.Chris Stevenson
… Peter Singer, whose 1975 book Animal Liberation was a rallying point for critics of livestock farming and animal research.Julian Koplin
A poem titled "A Record of History" opens with the death of Li Wenliang, a doctor in Wuhan who was punished for trying to alert others about the dangers of the coronavirus. His death became a rallying point for freedom of speech and transparency.Lily Kuo

Examples of rallying point in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The embargo has become a rallying point, uniting policy, capital, and talent behind the goal of technological independence. Craig S. Smith, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025 From reframing climate goals to creating valuation frameworks for biodiversity, these leaders are drafting their own playbook, and President Ali, leveraging Guyana's newfound economic clout, is positioning his country as a rallying point for this shift. Arick Wierson, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Aug. 2025 These groups have often been at odds, but the cause of Palestine has served as a rallying point and a source of legitimacy in the wider Muslim world. Ami Ayalon, Foreign Affairs, 5 Aug. 2025 Her case became a rallying point for immigration advocates in a time of tumult and uncertainty for anyone not born in the U.S. Juwayriah Wright, Time, 15 July 2025 That said, Trump’s global tariff war has been a rallying point for BRICS. Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 10 July 2025 The party was held at the (literally) underground venue Sovereign House, a rallying point for Dimes Square. John McDermott, Rolling Stone, 6 July 2025 As climate concerns continue to grow worldwide, communities across Texas are using the day as a rallying point to advocate for environmental policies and sustainable practices that protect the planet for future generations. Brandi D. Addison, Austin American Statesman, 12 Apr. 2025 In a record-breaking 25-hour, 5-minute speech on the Senate floor, the New Jersey Democrat railed against the direction Trump's policies are taking the country, serving as a rallying point needed to galvanize a party in a leadership crisis. Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1774, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rallying point was in 1774

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Cite this Entry

“Rallying point.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rallying%20point. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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