flash point

noun

Definition of flash pointnext
1
as in volcano
a potentially explosive place or situation that troubled region remains one of the world's most dangerous flash points

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in crisis
a time or state of affairs requiring prompt or decisive action tensions between the two longtime adversaries were at a flash point

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of flash point Sophie Cunningham’s stance on protecting women’s sports has become a major flash point across the WNBA, and the backlash followed her supporters to Minnesota on Sunday. — Amber Harding Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 Aug. 2026 The legendary talk show vet takes EW inside the pop cultural flash point that was his and wife Connie Chung’s attempts in the early 1990s to have a child. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 22 July 2026 Amid noise, close quarters, and rigid routines, interactions become flash points. — Jordan Rau, NPR, 19 July 2026 Shakespeare’s haughty Roman war hero, revered on the battlefield yet reviled by hungry plebeians, becomes the flash point in a young democracy tearing itself apart over power and sacrifice. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for flash point
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flash point
  1. volcano
  2. crisis
  3. time bomb
  4. boiling point
  5. head
  6. breaking point
  7. crunch time
Noun
  • Yellowstone remains an active volcano Yellowstone sits above a hotspot where heat from deep inside Earth melts rock beneath the crust.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Mount Krakatoa, an island volcano in what is now Indonesia, entered its catastrophic eruption phase.
    — USA Today, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of volcano
Noun
  • The last three Democratic presidents inherited terrible economic conditions and had to spend to rescue the country from soaring joblessness, the housing crisis and the pandemic, respectively.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Washington — Senate Democrats demanded answers Wednesday about conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, following reports of food shortages, broken plumbing and mental health crises during the aircraft carrier's record-setting deployment.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of crisis
Noun
  • But the weapons also have a dark side that makes each a ticking time bomb for the people who wield them.
    — Jay Peters, The Verge, 13 Aug. 2026
  • During this same year, Chemours sued the other DuPont companies, claiming it had been handed a financial time bomb because of the PFAS liability it had been left with.
    — Susanne Rust Follow, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of time bomb
Noun
  • As QAnon conspiracy theories took hold with people from around the world and tensions around policies to prevent the spread of Covid reached a boiling point, this previously unknown woman became the unlikely answer some in Canada were searching for.
    — Zander Sherman, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Kimmie, played by Taylor Polidore Williams, finally levels the playing field with the Bellaire family just as tensions rise to another boiling point.
    — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 28 July 2026
Definition of boiling point
Noun
  • But instead of congratulating their long-time colleague, her co-workers, under the orders of their department head, urged her to think again.
    — Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Jones also is among 21 to win state titles in their first head-coaching job at any school.
    — Todd Holcomb, AJC.com, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of head
Noun
  • Keep in mind, there is a breaking point.
    — Shep Hyken, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
  • Three of the Netherlands’ four goals came from this method, as Gakpo, Dumfries and Summerville stretched the Swedish defence to breaking point and opened up additional space in the middle.
    — Carl Anka, New York Times, 20 June 2026
Definition of breaking point
Noun
  • Washington has won three straight and wants to shore up its playoff position as the season gets toward crunch time.
    — Torrey Hart, New York Times, 31 July 2026
  • With the games now having the kind of stakes that Thursday’s contest lacked, that leaky defense – especially in crunch time toward the end of matches – is the possible Achilles heel for this team.
    — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 26 June 2026
Definition of crunch time

Browse Nearby Words

flashlights
flash point
flash points
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Cite this Entry

“Flash point.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flash%20point. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on flash point

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about flash point

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