View synonyms for point of no return

point of no return

noun

Aviation. the point in a flight at which an aircraft will lack sufficient fuel to return to its starting point.
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

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

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Word History and Origins

Origin of point of no return¹

First recorded in 1940–45

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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]

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Example Sentences

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

From Project Gutenberg

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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