A method to predict failure of adhesive joints is described. The fracture criterion is based on material-induced singularities that appear at the terminus of the joint. The criterion can be interpreted physically in terms of the elastic strain energy density. The criterion is formulated in terms of a singular intensity factor Q that is analogous to the stress intensity factor for the case when cracks are present. The strengths of the singularities are dependent on the elastic properties of the adhesive and the adherends and on the geometry of the bond terminus, but are postulated to be independent of loading and global geometry.