point of no return

noun

1. Aviation. the point in a flight at which an aircraft will lack sufficient fuel to return to its starting point.
2. the critical point in an undertaking, decision-making process, etc., where one has committed oneself irrevocably to a course of action or policy.

point of no return

noun

1. a point at which an irreversible commitment must be made to an action, progression, etc
2. a point in a journey at which, if one continues, supplies will be insufficient for a return to the starting place

Word History and Origins

Origin of point of no return¹

First recorded in 1940–45

Idioms and Phrases

The place in a course of action beyond which reversal is not possible. For example, Once the contract is signed, we've reached the point of no return . This expression comes from aviation, where it signifies the point where an aircraft does not have enough fuel to return to the starting point. [c. 1940]

Example Sentences

As they advanced, they seemed to realize that they had passed a point-of-no-return.

From Project Gutenberg