flash point

noun

Definition of flash pointnext
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

Relevance
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of flash point Shakespeare’s haughty Roman war hero, revered on the battlefield yet reviled by hungry plebeians, becomes the flash point in a young democracy tearing itself apart over power and sacrifice. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026 The protests became a flash point, sparking similar incidents in several other cities in Tennessee and at least one in Florida. — Rachel Tepper Paley, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 July 2026 That’s a huge flash point in American society, far beyond this play. — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 26 May 2026 The fund is quickly turning into a high-level flash point between the White House and a GOP Senate that has mostly put aside differences with the president. — Sarah Davis, The Hill, 22 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for flash point
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flash point
  1. volcano
  2. crisis
  3. time bomb
  4. boiling point
  5. head
  6. breaking point
  7. crunch time
Noun
  • The eruption started Monday morning, with clouds of gas and ash rising above the volcano as lava and pyroclastic flows rolled down the slopes.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026
  • In July, Roku made the city even more interactive with a new brand campaign that guides users to visit six themed areas featuring humorous promo spots, including a pirate ship, a volcano and a villain’s evil lair.
    — Pat Saperstein, Variety, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of volcano
Noun
  • After coming into power, the Malian military junta expelled French forces from the country in 2022, citing protection of national sovereignty and a worsening security crisis.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 July 2026
  • Migration is a sensitive issue across Europe, where right-wing parties have surged in the decade since a 2015 crisis when more than a million people crossed the continent mainly on foot and sought asylum, most fleeing war in Syria.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
Definition of crisis
Noun
  • The sobering Social Security and Medicare reports clearly show that a fiscal time bomb is ticking.
    — Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 11 June 2026
  • That is a real fiscal time bomb that could set off generational warfare in Washington.
    — Editorial, Boston Herald, 24 May 2026
Definition of time bomb
Noun
  • Kimmie, played by Taylor Polidore Williams, finally levels the playing field with the Bellaire family just as tensions rise to another boiling point.
    — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 28 July 2026
  • Temperatures don’t need to hit boiling point for productivity losses to start showing.
    — Oliver Balch, Fortune, 27 July 2026
Definition of boiling point
Noun
  • Then, Punk took down Rhodes with a head scissors before locking in an armbar.
    — Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Confidence grows when your plan leaves your head and meets the calendar.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of head
Noun
  • Keep in mind, there is a breaking point.
    — Shep Hyken, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
  • Three of the Netherlands’ four goals came from this method, as Gakpo, Dumfries and Summerville stretched the Swedish defence to breaking point and opened up additional space in the middle.
    — Carl Anka, New York Times, 20 June 2026
Definition of breaking point
Noun
  • Washington has won three straight and wants to shore up its playoff position as the season gets toward crunch time.
    — Torrey Hart, New York Times, 31 July 2026
  • With the games now having the kind of stakes that Thursday’s contest lacked, that leaky defense – especially in crunch time toward the end of matches – is the possible Achilles heel for this team.
    — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 26 June 2026
Definition of crunch time

Browse Nearby Words

flashlights
flash point
flash points
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Flash point.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flash%20point. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on flash point

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about flash point

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All