Meaning of tipping point | Babel Free

Definitions

1. The point at which a slow, reversible change becomes irreversible, often with dramatic consequences.
   broadly, figuratively
2. A point in time when a group rapidly and dramatically changes its behavior by widely adopting a previously rare practice.
3. The point in time at which some new technology becomes mainstream.
4. An irreversible change in the climate system.

Equivalents

Examples

“It is a scenario climate scientists have feared since first identifying "tipping points" - delicate thresholds where a slight rise in the Earth's temperature can cause a dramatic change in the environment that itself triggers a far greater increase in global temperatures.”

“Some researchers worry that rainforests will soon reach a tipping point — a point of no return in which the once-lush forests transition to arid regions.”

“Climate scientists have detected warning signs of the collapse of the Gulf Stream, one of the planet’s main potential tipping points.”

CEFR level