tipping point

American  

noun

1. the point at which an issue, idea, product, etc., crosses a certain threshhold and gains significant momentum, triggered by some minor factor or change.

2. the point in a situation at which a minor development precipitates a crisis.

   Every infected person brings us closer to the tipping point, when the outbreak becomes an epidemic.

3. Physics. the point at which an object is no longer balanced, and adding a small amount of weight can cause it to topple.

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tipping point British  

/ ˈtɪpɪŋ /

noun

1. the crisis stage in a process, when a significant change takes place

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Etymology

Origin of tipping point

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

Nichols came to California at a tipping point.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

In golf-loving South Korea, the tipping point was reached almost a decade ago as 'screen golf' overtook 'field golf'.

From BBC • Mar. 21, 2026

He said oil prices would have to rise to similarly high levels before a tipping point would be reached.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 21, 2026

The tipping point was, on the surface, a typical small-town dispute.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 1, 2026

The tipping point came in Berlin, in November 1989, when the East German government gave in to pressure to ease travel across the Berlin Wall.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin