powder keg

noun

1

: a small usually metal cask for holding gunpowder or blasting powder

2

: something liable to explode

Synonyms

• volcano

Examples of powder keg in a Sentence

Political instability has made the region a powder keg.

the immigration bill has become a political powder keg for legislators on both sides of the aisle

Recent Examples on the Web

However, internal conflict between the brash younger generation and the old-school leadership threatens to set a match to this powder keg, which will sweep the Westies into the FBI’s ever-deepening investigation into the Italian mafia. —Denise Petski, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2025

The official synopsis for Eddington, as per A24, reads: In May of 2020, a standoff between a small-town sheriff (Joaquin Phoenix) and mayor (Pedro Pascal) sparks a powder keg as neighbor is pitted against neighbor in Eddington, New Mexico. —Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Aug. 2025

Then, as if to light a match to the powder keg of the crowd, HYDE went down to the crowd. —Billboard Japan, Billboard, 29 July 2025

How could a powder keg, years in the making, hide in plain sight? —Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 25 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1791, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for powder keg

• beg
• clegg
• egg
• leg
• legg
• meg
• peg
• reg
• blackleg
• bootleg
• foreleg
• mpeg