flash point
noun
1
: the lowest temperature at which vapors above a volatile combustible substance ignite in air when exposed to flame
2
: a point at which someone or something bursts suddenly into action or being
Examples of flash point in a Sentence
The city became a flash point as political tensions grew.
The situation reached a flash point when union leaders urged the workers to protest.
Recent Examples on the Web
What to know about the UC campus turmoil this week
The University of California has become one of many national flash points over the Israel-Hamas war — but also over how college leaders have handled occupations, 1st Amendment issues and violence on their campuses.
—
Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2024
An Instagram post of the scene, posted two days later, became a flash point, inflaming tensions at UCLA.
—Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for flash point 
Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2024
An Instagram post of the scene, posted two days later, became a flash point, inflaming tensions at UCLA.
—Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for flash point
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'flash point.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Flash point.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flash%20point. Accessed 1 Jun. 2024.
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