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

Fears of widespread disruption from artificial intelligence recently reached a tipping point, hitting stocks in industries as disparate as freight, insurance, asset management, healthcare, real estate and even biotechnology.

From MarketWatch

The EU just reached a “major tipping point” in its shift to cleaner domestic energy, says Beatrice Petrovich, senior energy analyst at think tank Ember.

From The Wall Street Journal

A major scientific report last year warned that the world's tropical coral reefs have likely reached a "tipping point" -- a shift that could trigger massive and often permanent changes in the natural world.

From Barron's

It’s seemingly turning into the moment when AI, the futuristic technology that’s increasingly finding its way into our everyday lives, reaches a tipping point in our culture.

From MarketWatch

It’s seemingly turning into the moment when AI, the futuristic technology that’s increasingly finding its way into our everyday lives, reaches a tipping point in our culture.

From MarketWatch