third rail
noun
1
: a metal rail through which electric current is led to the motors of an electric vehicle (such as a subway car)
2
: a controversial issue usually avoided by politicians
Examples of third rail in a Sentence
Social Security is the third rail of American politics.
Recent Examples on the Web
Dog Day Afternoon is the third rail of male love and loneliness—a primal scream from the sweltering streets of a stone broke New York City.
—
Jenny Lumet, Vanity Fair, 10 Feb. 2026
The dog was discovered on the tracks next to the third rail and was pronounced dead at the scene, NYPD told the outlets.
—Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 3 Feb. 2026
The train’s cars spray a de-icing solution on the third rail while scraping off any accumulation.
—Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 24 Jan. 2026
Disregarding the out-of-joint 2021 Finals, which were bumped up to July by the pandemic, Saturday has been a third rail for the NBA for the better part of the last 45 years.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for third rail
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Jenny Lumet, Vanity Fair, 10 Feb. 2026
The dog was discovered on the tracks next to the third rail and was pronounced dead at the scene, NYPD told the outlets.
—Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 3 Feb. 2026
The train’s cars spray a de-icing solution on the third rail while scraping off any accumulation.
—Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 24 Jan. 2026
Disregarding the out-of-joint 2021 Finals, which were bumped up to July by the pandemic, Saturday has been a third rail for the NBA for the better part of the last 45 years.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for third rail
Cite this Entry
“Third rail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/third%20rail. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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