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
The Games also fed into culture war flash points in the U.S. and abroad, including a conservative Christian backlash to a drag performance during the opening ceremony and a furor over the gender identity and competition eligibility of two female boxers.
—
Alexander Smith, NBC News, 11 Aug. 2024
These changes have become flash points of community activism and debate, both in support of and in resistance to name revisions.
—Daniel Oto-Peralías, The Conversation, 14 Aug. 2024
Although the side-by-side launches mark another first for K-pop’s chart impact, the genre’s track record has been too successful for this week to represent an enormous flash point.
—Rania Aniftos, Billboard, 30 July 2024
On the other, there is a real threat of an unforeseen flash point in the run-up to the vote — and not necessarily related to Trump.
—Hannah Allam, Washington Post, 24 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for flash point 
Alexander Smith, NBC News, 11 Aug. 2024
These changes have become flash points of community activism and debate, both in support of and in resistance to name revisions.
—Daniel Oto-Peralías, The Conversation, 14 Aug. 2024
Although the side-by-side launches mark another first for K-pop’s chart impact, the genre’s track record has been too successful for this week to represent an enormous flash point.
—Rania Aniftos, Billboard, 30 July 2024
On the other, there is a real threat of an unforeseen flash point in the run-up to the vote — and not necessarily related to Trump.
—Hannah Allam, Washington Post, 24 June 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.
Dictionary Entries Near flash point
Cite this Entry
“Flash point.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flash%20point. Accessed 8 Sep. 2024.
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