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
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
Extreme drought has turned the region into a tinderbox and allowed flames to spread.
—
Sarah Lynch Baldwin, CBS News, 25 Apr. 2026
These reforms, targeted mainly at commercial and industrial buildings in dense downtowns, largely missed the looming crisis in suburban residential areas that were slowly building themselves into a different kind of tinderbox that burned from the outside in.
—Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
In other words, this tinderbox has been ignited by design.
—Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 30 Jan. 2026
The red card turned St James’ Park into a frenzied tinderbox.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tinderbox
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Sarah Lynch Baldwin, CBS News, 25 Apr. 2026
These reforms, targeted mainly at commercial and industrial buildings in dense downtowns, largely missed the looming crisis in suburban residential areas that were slowly building themselves into a different kind of tinderbox that burned from the outside in.
—Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
In other words, this tinderbox has been ignited by design.
—Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 30 Jan. 2026
The red card turned St James’ Park into a frenzied tinderbox.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tinderbox
Cite this Entry
“Tinderbox.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tinderbox. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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