as in crisis
a time or state of affairs requiring prompt or decisive action
tensions between the two nations had risen to the breaking point
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Recent Examples of breaking point
What was the breaking point in both of those relationships?
—
Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 23 Feb. 2026
Windows is at breaking point, and Microsoft knows it.
—Tom Warren, The Verge, 29 Jan. 2026
Harbaugh, in 18 years, won a Super Bowl, and the Ravens were perennially in the playoff picture, but his inability to beat a Steelers’ squad in a game in which his tight end dropped a two-point conversion, and his rookie kicker missed the game-winning field goal, was the breaking point.
—Gladys Louise Tyler, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
The breaking point of the Chiefs’ season came a week before they were eliminated from playoff contention, and a week before quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered a knee injury that will now occupy his offseason.
—Sam McDowell 23, Kansas City Star, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for breaking point
Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 23 Feb. 2026
Windows is at breaking point, and Microsoft knows it.
—Tom Warren, The Verge, 29 Jan. 2026
Harbaugh, in 18 years, won a Super Bowl, and the Ravens were perennially in the playoff picture, but his inability to beat a Steelers’ squad in a game in which his tight end dropped a two-point conversion, and his rookie kicker missed the game-winning field goal, was the breaking point.
—Gladys Louise Tyler, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
The breaking point of the Chiefs’ season came a week before they were eliminated from playoff contention, and a week before quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered a knee injury that will now occupy his offseason.
—Sam McDowell 23, Kansas City Star, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for breaking point
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breaking point
Noun
-
During the financial crisis in spring 2008, then-candidate Barack Obama dismissed his rivals' calls for a federal gas tax suspension.—
Kathryn Watson,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The fighting has pushed many people into famine, caused a huge displacement crisis and left over 30 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Their feud was the focus of tabloid gossip for much of 2025 but reached a boiling point late last year after his wedding.—
Anna Tingley,
Variety,
16 Apr. 2026
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As Bayern celebrated, Madrid’s anger reached a boiling point inside Munich’s Allianz Arena.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The woman was found with three gunshot wounds to her chest, while the man was shot in the head, police said.—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
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Another man, a 35-year-old, showed up at Temple Hospital's Episcopal Campus with a gunshot wound to his head, police said.—
Tom Ignudo,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The killing has become a flash point in a wider crackdown across the Persian Gulf.—
Elizabeth Robinson,
NBC news,
17 Apr. 2026
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The Salvadoran national’s case has become a flash point in immigration debates after he was mistakenly deported last year and forcibly brought back.—
Travis Loller,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Breaking point.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breaking%20point. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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