TIPPING POINT
Est. 1828
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The workplace continues to shift at an unprecedented pace and from how employers have been communicating about benefits, 2025 is emerging as a pivotal tipping point.—Cynthia Pong, Jd, Forbes, 19 Jan. 2025His addition to the Buckeyes defense could prove to be a championship tipping point.—Lauren Merola, The Athletic, 17 Jan. 2025The tipping point To sum up, Trump’s treatment of Ukraine will be a signal to the world of whether the president has conceded global leadership to Russia and China, whose goal is to undermine the United States.—Trudy Rubin, The Mercury News, 11 Jan. 2025The recent elections also feel like a cultural tipping point towards once again prioritizing speech.—Ina Fried, Axios, 9 Jan. 2025See all Example Sentences for tipping point
Word History
First Known Use
1959, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of tipping point was in 1959
See more words from the same year
Articles Related to tipping point
The Racist Origins of ‘Tipping Point’
Malcolm Gladwell didn’t invent the phrase ‘tipping point’
Dictionary Entries Near tipping point
tipping point
Cite this Entry
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“Tipping point.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tipping%20point. Accessed 13 Feb. 2025.
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Last Updated: 25 Jan 2025 – Updated example sentences
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