1
as in volcano
a potentially explosive place or situation
that troubled region remains one of the world's most dangerous flash points
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flash point
The controversy was the latest flash point in rural Hood County between local governments’ efforts to grow their communities economically and their citizens who want to preserve a rural quality of life.
—
Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Jan. 2026
As my colleagues Seema Mehta and Caroline Petrow-Cohen report, the measure has the potential to become a political flash point.
—Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Another potential flash point in the relationship between Menin and Mamdani is Israel’s war in Gaza.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 7 Jan. 2026
Beyond that flash point, depictions of the fires have been limited.
—Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flash point
Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Jan. 2026
As my colleagues Seema Mehta and Caroline Petrow-Cohen report, the measure has the potential to become a political flash point.
—Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Another potential flash point in the relationship between Menin and Mamdani is Israel’s war in Gaza.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 7 Jan. 2026
Beyond that flash point, depictions of the fires have been limited.
—Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flash point
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flash point
Noun
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The world is home to gigantic storms bigger than Australia, 100-mph winds pummeling its northern reaches and a rocky moon named Io orbiting it that is notoriously riddled with lava-spewing volcanoes.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
5 Feb. 2026
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Washington's Mount Rainier National Park is named for the tallest volcano in the Cascade Range.—
Giovanna Caravetta,
Travel + Leisure,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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On Tuesday, the US Embassy in Havana urged American citizens in Cuba to take precautions amid the energy crisis by conserving fuel, water, food and charging their phones.—
Bianna Golodryga,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
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Nigeria is in the grip of a complex security crisis, with an insurgency by Islamic militants in the northeast alongside a surge in kidnappings for ransom by gunmen across the northwest and north-central regions over recent months.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Furthermore, the failure to understand how dark-side behaviors undermine psychological safety and collective judgment in day-to-day decision-making contributes to the ticking time bomb problem noted earlier.—
Mary Crossan,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
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And as the population continues to age, hundreds of millions could soon be leaving the workforce — a demographic crisis and ticking time bomb in one.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Mulier ultimately heated up the house to the boiling point with original, inventive designs, giving an experimental, modernist spin to Alaïa’s legacy of empowering, feminine and sculptural fashions.—
Miles Socha,
Footwear News,
30 Jan. 2026
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When Minnesota’s fraud scandals finally reached a boiling point, Governor Tim Walz did the bare minimum.—
Jennifer Nassour,
Boston Herald,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Saif al-Islam Gadhafi, the son of former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, has been killed in an apparent assassination at his home in the city of Zintan in northwestern Libya, the head of his political team said on Tuesday.—
Nic Robertson,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
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His cause of death was listed as blunt head trauma and stab wounds, records showed.—
Rachel Wolf,
FOXNews.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Windows is at breaking point, and Microsoft knows it.—
Tom Warren,
The Verge,
29 Jan. 2026
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Harbaugh, in 18 years, won a Super Bowl, and the Ravens were perennially in the playoff picture, but his inability to beat a Steelers’ squad in a game in which his tight end dropped a two-point conversion, and his rookie kicker missed the game-winning field goal, was the breaking point.—
Gladys Louise Tyler,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Ball posted 15 points to go with four rebounds and a pair of assists in 21 minutes, but there wasn’t much of a need for him in crunch time versus Golden State because the Hornets couldn’t keep pace with the Warriors.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
18 Jan. 2026
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Compared to the recent crunch time losses to Arkansas State and Southern Miss, Texas State played with more composure against Louisiana.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
15 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flash point.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flash%20point. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
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