tinderbox

noun

tin·​der·​box ˈtin-dər-ˌbäks 

1

a

: a metal box for holding tinder and usually a flint and steel for striking a spark

b

: a highly inflammable object or place

2

: a potentially explosive place or situation

Synonyms of tinderbox

• volcano

Examples of tinderbox in a Sentence

That old house is really a tinderbox.

officials sought to calm the situation, which had grown into a tinderbox

Recent Examples on the Web

Unlike many forests in the American Southwest, where trees are adapted to seasonal drought and frequent fire, these forests can become tinderboxes when subjected to weeks of unusual heat. — Bloomberg, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2026

The tinderbox conditions also drove record-setting extreme wildfires across the continent. — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 10 Aug. 2026

This year, Europe has been sweltering under an exceptionally hot and arid summer, with tinderbox conditions setting off unprecedented fires that have forced hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate homes and vacation spots. — ABC News, 5 Aug. 2026

As always with nuclear technology, worries about security, weapons proliferation and political complications in a tinderbox region have been central concerns. — Yousef Saba, USA Today, 22 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for tinderbox

• aftershocks
• chatterbox
• chickenpox
• equinox
• firebox
• goldilocks
• hollyhocks
• interlocks
• orthodox
• paradox
• tomahawks
• balks

Kids Definition

tinderbox

noun

tin·​der·​box -ˌbäks 

1

: a metal box for holding tinder and usually a flint and steel for striking a spark

2

: something that can easily catch fire