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 issue has become a flash point for Republicans to signal their stance on immigration.
—
Max Rego, The Hill, 23 Sep. 2025
Rhetoric about Taiwan, the most prominent flash point for Chinese sovereignty, is an example of the historical origins of the issue.
—David C. Kang, Foreign Affairs, 19 Sep. 2025
Yet with each subsequent racial flash point, from the arrest of Henry Louis Gates in 2009 to the murder of George Floyd, calls resurfaced for the national conversation.
—Lee Bebout, The Conversation, 16 Sep. 2025
Early on, Feld became Chicago’s most divisive restaurant, a flash point for critics of highfalutin many-course tasting menus.
—The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flash point
Max Rego, The Hill, 23 Sep. 2025
Rhetoric about Taiwan, the most prominent flash point for Chinese sovereignty, is an example of the historical origins of the issue.
—David C. Kang, Foreign Affairs, 19 Sep. 2025
Yet with each subsequent racial flash point, from the arrest of Henry Louis Gates in 2009 to the murder of George Floyd, calls resurfaced for the national conversation.
—Lee Bebout, The Conversation, 16 Sep. 2025
Early on, Feld became Chicago’s most divisive restaurant, a flash point for critics of highfalutin many-course tasting menus.
—The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flash point
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flash point
Noun
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The Highlands The Highlands are an untamed region full of volcanoes, black deserts, and crater lakes.—
Gwen Nicol,
Travel + Leisure,
22 Oct. 2025
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Europe's largest active volcano is constantly monitored for its next eruption.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The members face a crisis of friendship as loyalties shift, trust is tested, and the lines between fact and fiction blur.—
Armando Tinoco,
Deadline,
22 Oct. 2025
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Democrats criticized House Republicans for remaining away from Washington, arguing that their absence is prolonging the crisis and deepening hardship for workers and families nationwide.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Directed by Moses from a screenplay he co-wrote with Federico Sargentone and Katja Horvat, the film follows protagonist Ham, who wakes up with a time bomb on his chest.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
20 Oct. 2025
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Ray’s most chaotic photograms—jumbles that push out of the frame or look like time bombs ready to explode—find echoes in his films, projected on the back walls, a show in themselves.—
Vince Aletti,
New Yorker,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The two years of tension reached a boiling point on June 2, 2023, when Lorincz and two of Owens' children got into a particularly heated exchange, according to the outlet.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
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Domestic tensions could reach a boiling point today.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The network was about to hire The Daily Show host when a producer Kimmel worked with on the '90s game show Win Ben Stein's Money suggested that the head of the network watch video of him, Kimmel explained Wednesday on the Where Everybody Knows Your Name podcast.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Oct. 2025
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To combat this, a 4-2-3-1 can be morphed into multiple defensive shapes depending on the head coach’s preference.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Losing to Pitt at home was the breaking point — though, frankly, the Panthers look like a new team since inserting Mason Heintschel at quarterback.—
Ralph D. Russo,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
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Companies that prepare ahead of time will be rewarded; those that don’t risk being forced to change only once the crisis gets to a breaking point.—
Justin Worland,
Time,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In crunch time, stability teamed with chaos to close out the Lakers as LeBron James watched from his seat on the sideline.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
23 Oct. 2025
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So, the defense doubled down on dominance in crunch time.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flash point.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flash%20point. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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