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
Nigeria, on track to become more populous than China by the end of the century, could turn central Africa into a tinderbox.
—
Michael Albertus, Foreign Affairs, 4 Mar. 2025
After almost a year of a brutal war with Hamas in Gaza, Israel is at the center of a tinderbox of multiple, interrelated Middle East conflicts.
—Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 12 Sep. 2024
Forests have become tinderboxes overgrown with trees, shrubs, and other fuels due to lack of maintenance and decades of fire suppression—to the point where 80 million acres are in need of restoration.
—Joel Thayer, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025
The big picture: Both Trump and President Biden will now face pressure to dial down the temperature ahead of an election that has transformed the country into a tinderbox, writes Axios' Zachary Basu.
—Justin Kaufmann, Axios, 14 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for tinderbox
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Michael Albertus, Foreign Affairs, 4 Mar. 2025
After almost a year of a brutal war with Hamas in Gaza, Israel is at the center of a tinderbox of multiple, interrelated Middle East conflicts.
—Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 12 Sep. 2024
Forests have become tinderboxes overgrown with trees, shrubs, and other fuels due to lack of maintenance and decades of fire suppression—to the point where 80 million acres are in need of restoration.
—Joel Thayer, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025
The big picture: Both Trump and President Biden will now face pressure to dial down the temperature ahead of an election that has transformed the country into a tinderbox, writes Axios' Zachary Basu.
—Justin Kaufmann, Axios, 14 July 2024
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. 2025.
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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