cross the line
idiom
: to go beyond what is proper or acceptable
Her criticism crossed the line from helpful to just plain hurtful.
The magazine crossed the line when they printed the nude photos.
Examples of cross the line in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Tom Brady took many hits during the live Netflix roast in his honor, but there was one that seemed to cross the line as far as the G.O.A.T. was concerned.
—
Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 6 May 2024
The tension goes to the heart of a question that has touched off debate among observers and critics of the protests: At what point does pro-Palestinian political speech in a time of war cross the line into the type of antisemitism colleges have vowed to combat?
—Katherine Rosman, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2024
On my watch, faculty who make remarks that cross the line, there will be consequences for that.
—Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 17 Apr. 2024
In rejecting that argument, Chief Judge Colm F. Connolly found that at least some of the characterizations in the show could cross the line into defamation.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 27 Mar. 2024
The justices are reviewing a lower-court ruling that sharply limited such interactions, and must clarify when government attempts to combat misinformation cross the line from permissible persuasion to unconstitutional coercion.
—Cat Zakrzewski, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2024
Jaret Anderson-Dolan’s backhand went off Quick’s left shoulder and down his back, but didn’t cross the line.
—Joe Reedy, USA TODAY, 21 Jan. 2024
More:Did special counsel cross the line in bashing Biden's memory?
—David Jackson, USA TODAY, 10 Feb. 2024
Should a president have total immunity, even for things that cross the line?
—Nbc Universal, NBC News, 21 Jan. 2024
Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 6 May 2024
The tension goes to the heart of a question that has touched off debate among observers and critics of the protests: At what point does pro-Palestinian political speech in a time of war cross the line into the type of antisemitism colleges have vowed to combat?
—Katherine Rosman, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2024
On my watch, faculty who make remarks that cross the line, there will be consequences for that.
—Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 17 Apr. 2024
In rejecting that argument, Chief Judge Colm F. Connolly found that at least some of the characterizations in the show could cross the line into defamation.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 27 Mar. 2024
The justices are reviewing a lower-court ruling that sharply limited such interactions, and must clarify when government attempts to combat misinformation cross the line from permissible persuasion to unconstitutional coercion.
—Cat Zakrzewski, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2024
Jaret Anderson-Dolan’s backhand went off Quick’s left shoulder and down his back, but didn’t cross the line.
—Joe Reedy, USA TODAY, 21 Jan. 2024
More:Did special counsel cross the line in bashing Biden's memory?
—David Jackson, USA TODAY, 10 Feb. 2024
Should a president have total immunity, even for things that cross the line?
—Nbc Universal, NBC News, 21 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cross the line.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near cross the line
Cite this Entry
“Cross the line.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cross%20the%20line. Accessed 16 May. 2024.
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