1
as in volcano
a potentially explosive place or situation
that troubled region remains one of the world's most dangerous flash points
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2
as in crisis
a time or state of affairs requiring prompt or decisive action
tensions between the two longtime adversaries were at a flash point
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flash point
The arrest became a flash point during his Forget Tomorrow World Tour.
—
Aidin Vaziri, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Mar. 2026
Another blow in a broader battle The Kansas law is a flash point in the ongoing battle across the country for legal recognition of trans and nonbinary people’s existence.
—Noelle Martin, The Conversation, 1 Mar. 2026
This year, the island is a flash point once again.
—Vivian Salama, The Atlantic, 1 Mar. 2026
European Union nations are just weeks away from a decision on where to host the bloc’s new customs agency, in what could be an initial flash point in the race to pick the next European Central Bank chief.
—Zoe Schneeweiss, Bloomberg, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flash point
Aidin Vaziri, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Mar. 2026
Another blow in a broader battle The Kansas law is a flash point in the ongoing battle across the country for legal recognition of trans and nonbinary people’s existence.
—Noelle Martin, The Conversation, 1 Mar. 2026
This year, the island is a flash point once again.
—Vivian Salama, The Atlantic, 1 Mar. 2026
European Union nations are just weeks away from a decision on where to host the bloc’s new customs agency, in what could be an initial flash point in the race to pick the next European Central Bank chief.
—Zoe Schneeweiss, Bloomberg, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flash point
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flash point
Noun
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Her flight home had been canceled because a volcano erupted in Iceland, however, and she was stranded in town for close to week.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
15 Apr. 2026
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On this day in 2010, Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull volcano erupted in earnest.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
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During the financial crisis in spring 2008, then-candidate Barack Obama dismissed his rivals' calls for a federal gas tax suspension.—
Kathryn Watson,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
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The fighting has pushed many people into famine, caused a huge displacement crisis and left over 30 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Regulators and former employees call it one of the most notorious chameleon schemes — a ticking time bomb on our nation's roadways.—
Ashley Velie,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
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Of course, their amity turned out to be a time bomb.—
Gary Baum,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Their feud was the focus of tabloid gossip for much of 2025 but reached a boiling point late last year after his wedding.—
Anna Tingley,
Variety,
16 Apr. 2026
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As Bayern celebrated, Madrid’s anger reached a boiling point inside Munich’s Allianz Arena.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The woman was found with three gunshot wounds to her chest, while the man was shot in the head, police said.—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Another man, a 35-year-old, showed up at Temple Hospital's Episcopal Campus with a gunshot wound to his head, police said.—
Tom Ignudo,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But the issue that's the crux of this, that Iran cannot be permitted to have a nuclear weapon, which is what the Vice President stood before the world and said that Iran is unwilling to declare, just yesterday, which was the breaking point of the negotiations, has been the subject of hearings.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
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That new evidence was the breaking point for Disney, and one wonders if that’ll reverberate through the ailing Bachelor franchise, which was supposed to have a fresh new star in Paul from one of Disney’s more recently popular reality series.—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In crunch time, Leavitt finds ways to make plays.—
Sam Khan Jr,
New York Times,
2 Apr. 2026
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The Blue Devils were up 15 at half and cruising over UConn, but as crunch time came, the wheels started to fall off for the top team in the country.—
Tyler Erzberger,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flash point.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flash%20point. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
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