tipping point

noun

: the critical point in a situation, process, or system beyond which a significant and often unstoppable effect or change takes place

Examples of tipping point in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web While office occupancy in major U.S. cities spiked after the Labor Day weekend—suggesting a tipping point in the return-to-office battle—there’s still good news for pets. Bysteve Mollman, Fortune, 21 Sep. 2023 But McGinnis’s statements and subsequent request to approve editorial content ahead of publication marked a tipping point in a small-scale culture war that had been building for a few years within the award-winning magazine. Laura Wagner, Washington Post, 30 Aug. 2023 The 2012 election was perhaps the tipping point, when Herman Cain, a successful chief executive of a pizza chain, at one point led the Republican primary polls. Trip Gabriel, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2023 California was one of the first major car markets to reach that tipping point, in 2018, and so far 23 countries have been added to the list. Tom Randall, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2023 After 8 major hurricanes in 6 years, some Gulf Coast communities are hitting a 'tipping point' The population has been growing worldwide, but most of the Florida flamingos were believed to be descended from birds that escaped from various animal attractions. David Williams, CNN, 5 Sep. 2023 More:The indispensable state: Why Wisconsin could again be the electoral 'tipping point' in 2024 Still, Trump is expected to have an impact on the debate. Lawrence Andrea, Journal Sentinel, 18 Aug. 2023 Others said the case could be a tipping point that will drive fence-sitters fed up with Trump's election lies into Biden's camp. Harold Maass, The Week, 3 Aug. 2023 Image: Win McNamee/Getty Images Ukraine’s offensive has reached a tipping point. Seth Cropsey, WSJ, 29 Aug. 2023 See More

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

1959, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tipping point was in 1959

Dictionary Entries Near tipping point

Cite this Entry

“Tipping point.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tipping%20point. Accessed 4 Oct. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!