as in sitting duck
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Recent Examples of lightning rod
Mike Blake | Reuters ABC's indefinite suspension of Jimmy Kimmel's late-night talk show has become a cultural lightning rod.
—
Alex Harring, CNBC, 19 Sep. 2025
The film attempts to thread more than 3,000 hours of footage collected between 2018 and 2024 into an unflinching portrayal of West, a perennial lightning rod for controversy usually sparked by his own hand.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 18 Sep. 2025
The Chiefs continue to be a lightning rod for criticism, including some surprising comments from Rob Gronkowski this week.
—Scott Chasen, Kansas City Star, 14 Sep. 2025
The Baldwins have been a public lightning rod with their outspoken political views and social-media controversies.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lightning rod
Alex Harring, CNBC, 19 Sep. 2025
The film attempts to thread more than 3,000 hours of footage collected between 2018 and 2024 into an unflinching portrayal of West, a perennial lightning rod for controversy usually sparked by his own hand.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 18 Sep. 2025
The Chiefs continue to be a lightning rod for criticism, including some surprising comments from Rob Gronkowski this week.
—Scott Chasen, Kansas City Star, 14 Sep. 2025
The Baldwins have been a public lightning rod with their outspoken political views and social-media controversies.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lightning rod
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lightning rod
Noun
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Russian forces trapped in Ukraine would have been sitting ducks for NATO missiles and aircraft.—
Robert Kagan,
The Atlantic,
10 Sep. 2025
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Newsom is a sitting duck waiting to get shellacked.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
30 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Gordie is invisible to his mother and a whipping boy to his father.—
Sezin Devi Koehler September 1,
EW.com,
1 Sep. 2025
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Yet Hojlund only has to look at Scott McTominay and how Conte revitalised his career in Naples after years of being a United whipping boy by some sections of the fan base.—
Emmet Gates,
Forbes.com,
30 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Palace’s main approach to attacking corners isn’t complicated, but stopping them is easier said than done because the routines and target zones vary, and the delivery is often excellent.—
Ahmed Walid,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
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The 25-year-old Rice led all Chiefs receivers in receptions (79), targets (102), receiving yards (932), and touchdowns (seven) two seasons ago as a rookie.—
Michael Gallagher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Prosecutors previously said the victims — Cesar Armando Murillo, 44, and Maira Sofia Hernandez, 33, both residents of Yakima — disappeared just days after federal agents interviewed them in relation to a drug-trafficking investigation.—
Alex Riggins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Sep. 2025
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Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act shields platforms from liability for what users post, leaving victims and their families with limited legal footing against them.—
Rachyl Jones,
semafor.com,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In a startling image, a pregnant Perfidia fires off rounds with a machine-gun butt pressed against her swollen belly.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
26 Sep. 2025
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Samantha Allen Love Lies Bleeding (2024) The first kiss between Lou (Kristen Stewart) and Jackie (Katy O’Brian) occurs right after the former injects the latter’s butt with steroids.—
James Factora,
Them.,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Pterosaurs were prehistoric predators that dominated the skies with pointed snouts that could catch prey on the move or from the water, according to National Geographic.—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
26 Sep. 2025
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These attacks often result from mistaken identity, as swimmers may be misidentified as prey, especially when wearing jewelry or making sudden movements.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lightning rod.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lightning%20rod. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
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