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.
Origin
1940-45
Examples from the web for point of no return
  • Various stakeholders will squabble and object until financial conditions deteriorate past the point of no return.
  • The planet is already heating up, and the point of no return may be only decades away.
  • He felt that his team had already altered the blood flow of the brain beyond the point of no return.
  • We were able to take the process far enough to the point of no return, so that no one could turn back the clock.
  • The sphere represents the event horizon, or the point of no return.
  • Humanity has yet to reach the point of no return when it comes to catastrophic climate change, according to new calculations.
  • We shall not sit and pray for nothing bad will happen when so many info shows it is at the tipping point of no return already.
  • But she knew the economy was at the point of no return.
  • Not only that, it all consumes him and his actions to a point of no return.
  • The people should be the top priority right now, not big business and countries that are at the point of no return.
British Dictionary definitions for point of no return

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
Idioms and Phrases with point of no return

point of no return

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 ]