lightning rod

noun

Definition of lightning rodnext
as in sitting duck

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar 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 lightning rod The Dodgers have become a lightning rod in the big picture of baseball finances. — Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 29 June 2026 The 2026 World Cup has been a lightning rod for political controversy thus far. — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 19 June 2026 At an earlier point in his career, Lil Nas X was a lightning rod for attention — whether in the form of Number One singles or outraged controversy surrounding his visual output. — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 17 June 2026 The iPhone Ultra is a high-margin smartphone that can serve as a lightning rod to attract the highest and most affluent consumers. — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for lightning rod
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lightning rod
  1. sitting duck
  2. whipping boy
  3. target
  4. victim
  5. butt
  6. prey
Noun
  • Only the ridiculous American League could turn Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow from a sitting duck into a potential candidate for Executive of the Year in less than a week.
    — Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 30 June 2026
  • In Ukraine, tanks—the backbone of 20th-century armies—have become sitting ducks for drones.
    — Nancy A. Youssef, The Atlantic, 17 June 2026
Definition of sitting duck
Noun
  • The former Maple Leaf was a whipping boy in Toronto whenever the Leafs couldn't get past the second round of the playoffs, but his first postseason in Vegas has been downright magical.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 30 May 2026
  • The middle class or big corporations don’t want to become the mayor’s whipping boy.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 20 Feb. 2026
Definition of whipping boy
Noun
  • Since 2021, the city has permitted nearly 3,285 housing units — about 60% of its target of 5,443 units by 2029, according to city data.
    — Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 July 2026
  • In response, the US launched days of military strikes on Iranian targets.
    — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
Definition of target
Noun
  • The most meaningful one for her was an ornament workshop attended by several victims of the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires.
    — Lisa Boone, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • The Broward County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) identified the victim as 18-month-old Wilson Mathias Jr.
    — Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 8 July 2026
Definition of victim
Noun
  • Facelifts, traditional Brazilian butt lifts and other surgical cosmetic procedures that require patients to go to an operating room are generally done by plastic surgeons.
    — Michelle Marchante July 10, Miami Herald, 10 July 2026
  • Additionally, our commerce writers and editors have previously covered a vast array of jeans styles, including the best butt-lifting jeans and best drawstring jeans.
    — Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 9 July 2026
Definition of butt
Noun
  • Now, a new study on the diet of gray wolves suggests that the population regrowth is a result of the animals feasting on cattle, as their natural prey sources remain comparatively scarce.
    — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • Whether in an urban backyard or on a remote island, cats are unlikely to turn a blind eye to available prey.
    — Christopher A. Lepczyk, The Conversation, 8 July 2026
Definition of prey

Browse Nearby Words

lightning
lightning rod
lightning rods
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lightning rod.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lightning%20rod. Accessed 13 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on lightning rod

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lightning rod

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

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
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
banana-mirrored
Contradictory Words Quiz Pick out which word means one thing…and the opp...
See All