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

His own allies have begun to question whether he is pushing the architecture of French democracy to a breaking point.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Sometimes that’s because the individual work is bland, while elsewhere its pertinence to the shambling theme is stretched to the breaking point.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

World number 19 Daria Kasatkina says she is at "breaking point" and has ended her season early, describing the schedule as "too much, mentally and emotionally".

Read more on BBC

In its 2025 “Elevating Voices” report, many respondents said their circumstances had barely changed since 2022 — high costs still stretched household budgets to the breaking point.

Read more on Salon

Hospital services are at the breaking point, mental health clinics have been shuttered, and AIDS-related services cannot keep up with need.

Read more on Los Angeles Times