breaking point

noun

1. the point at which a person, object, structure, etc., collapses under stress.
2. the point at which a situation or condition becomes critical.

breaking point

noun

1. the point at which something or someone gives way under strain
2. the moment of crisis in a situation

Word History and Origins

Origin of breaking point¹

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

At the same time, scientists have had to reckon with the limitations of models as tools — and with the realization that pandemics can push the utility of models to the breaking point.

From Quanta Magazine

He says, “When we look back, years from now, we may see that this was the breaking point.”

From Washington Post

It’s going to exacerbate a situation that is already stretching hospitals to the breaking point in some areas.

From MIT Technology Review

They’re not realizing the stress that they’re having to hold on their shoulders until they’re at their breaking point.

From Fortune

Page said she reached a breaking point after losing custody of her children and being accused of contempt of court.

From ProPublica

Everybody panicking when they get the flu will stretch the emergency system to a breaking point.

From The Daily Beast

I met my breaking point in this particular scene—halfway through, I had to be untied and calmed down.

From The Daily Beast

The breaking point came when Ben Yitzhak was fired for violating protocol after allowing Yousef to take short getaways in Israel.

From The Daily Beast

One day, after getting lost and arriving 20 minutes late to my audition, I hit my breaking point.

From The Daily Beast

The ibogaine ceremony begins when her heroin withdrawal reaches a breaking point.

From The Daily Beast

We ought to attempt such a shortening as will strain the machine to a breaking point, but never break it.

From Project Gutenberg

Just now the tension had reached the breaking point; the craving for solitude and peace was eating him up.

From Project Gutenberg

After that, everything happened to build his tensions to the breaking point.

From Project Gutenberg

The series of things she had gone through in the past twenty-four hours had frayed her nerves almost to the breaking point.

From Project Gutenberg

And they worked this unhistorical belief to its breaking point in their Biblical exegesis.

From Project Gutenberg