point of no return

noun phrase

1
: the point in the flight of an aircraft beyond which the remaining fuel will be insufficient for a return to the starting point with the result that the craft must proceed
2
: a critical point at which turning back or reversal is not possible

Examples of point of no return in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Towards the end of the season, the true breaking point for Paul is the point of no return. Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 6 June 2025 It’s set in Bilbao-Zuria, in 2077, when climate disaster has reached a point of no return. Annika Pham, Variety, 6 June 2025 Melting sea ice and glaciers could soon reach a point of no return, with dramatic implications for sea level rise, scientists have warned. Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 28 May 2025 San Diego’s aging bayfront center, a portion of which dates to the late 1980s, is approaching the point of no return. Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for point of no return

Word History

First Known Use

1941, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of point of no return was in 1941

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Cite this Entry

“Point of no return.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/point%20of%20no%20return. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.

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