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
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
What was the breaking point that led you to that decision?
—Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 15 Jan. 2026
With talks getting nowhere, Parsons' growing frustrations reached their breaking point during training camp.
—Kevin McCormick, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for 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
What was the breaking point that led you to that decision?
—Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 15 Jan. 2026
With talks getting nowhere, Parsons' growing frustrations reached their breaking point during training camp.
—Kevin McCormick, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for breaking point
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breaking point
Noun
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The move aggravated the country's existing energy crises and triggered widespread fuel shortages.—
Joe Walsh,
CBS News,
18 Mar. 2026
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At some point the bank account will be empty, and we'll be left with a crisis in which there isn't enough to go around.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
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For many in the sport, frustrations are at an all-time boiling point.—
Chris Marshall-Bell,
New York Times,
13 Mar. 2026
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And despite being the first team in NFL history to lose seven straight games then win seven in a row, the tensions in the locker room would reach a boiling point after the Dolphins’ 34-3 loss to the Tennessee Titans that effectively eliminated them from the playoffs.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The series of attacks comes after Israel killed Larijani, the head of the country’s Supreme National Security Council, and Gholamreza Soleimani, the leader of a powerful militia aligned with the IRGC, in deadly airstrikes on Tuesday.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
18 Mar. 2026
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Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Artificial intelligence — which has been a flash point among creatives in Hollywood — has also been a talking point among the academy and its members.—
Rebecca Keegan,
NBC news,
11 Mar. 2026
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The arrest became a flash point during his Forget Tomorrow World Tour.—
Aidin Vaziri,
San Francisco Chronicle,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Breaking point.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breaking%20point. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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