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
3

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 

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.

Word History

First Known Use

1878, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of flash point was in 1878

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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