point of no return
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point of no return
Where it comes from
The expression originated in air navigation planning. The point along the planned flight path beyond which an aircraft will no longer be capable of returning to the takeoff airfield or an alternate airfield due to insufficient fuel is calculated before takeoff. This is mandatory for overwater flights or flights without alternates on route.
noun points of no return
-
The point in an aircraft's flight when there is insufficient fuel to reverse direction and return to the place of origin.
Similar: event horizon, PNR, PONR, rubicon, threshold
- The point in any process or sequence of events where some development becomes inevitable. After Munich it became daily more evident that Hitler had passed the point of no return. With every burst of news from Europe the inevitability of war became more certain.
Translations
Every language
noun (aviation) the point in a flight when there is insufficient fuel to return to the origin
| Español | punto de no retorno |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 귀환 불능 지점 gwihwan bulleung jijeom |
| 日本語 | 帰還不能点 kikan funōten, 回帰不能点 kaiki funōten |
| 中文 | 航線臨界點 /航线临界点 hángxiàn línjièdiǎn |
| Português | ponto de não retorno |
| Français | point de non-retour |
| Deutsch | Umkehrgrenzpunkt |
| Italiano | punto di non ritorno |
| Русский | то́чка невозвра́та tóčka nevozvráta |
noun the point when it is no longer possible to stop the process
| Español | punto de no retorno |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 귀환 불능 지점 gwihwan bulleung jijeom |
| 日本語 | 帰還不能点 kikan funōten |
| 中文 | 不歸路 /不归路 bùguīlù |
| Português | ponto de não retorno |
| Français | point de non-retour |
| Italiano | punto di non ritorno |
| Русский | то́чка невозвра́та tóčka nevozvráta |
| العربية | نُقْطَةُ اللَّاعَوْدَةِ nuqṭatu l-lāʕawdati, حُصِّلَ مَا فِي الصُّدُورِ ḥuṣṣila mā fī ṣ-ṣudūri |
| עברית | נְקֻדַּת הָאַל־חָזוֹר n'kudát ha'al-khazór |
Talk about this word "point of no return." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/point%20of%20no%20return. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. point of no return. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/point%20of%20no%20return "point of no return." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/point%20of%20no%20return.Cite this
@misc{point_of_no_return_2026,
title = {point of no return},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/point%20of%20no%20return},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
