lightning rods

noun

plural of lightning rod
as in sitting ducks

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lightning rods
  1. sitting ducks
  2. targets
  3. victims
  4. prey
  5. butts
Noun
  • In Ukraine, tanks—the backbone of 20th-century armies—have become sitting ducks for drones.
    — Nancy A. Youssef, The Atlantic, 17 June 2026
  • As labor complications ensue, a blizzard rages outside trapping the family in their home – sitting ducks for whatever sinister presence might be in there with them.
    — William Earl, Variety, 25 Mar. 2026
Definition of sitting ducks
Noun
  • The combination would allow the aircraft to launch a high-speed weapon against targets from considerable distances, keeping the launch platform away from some threats.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 28 Oct. 2026
  • User generated content via BBC News Iranian officials have said repeatedly that any bases used to attack the country would be considered legitimate targets.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of targets
Noun
  • American women, being birthed as special victims with special status, are not.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Two of the victims were grazed by bullets, and a 20-year-old man was shot in the abdomen, WSOC reports.
    — Mark Price November 2, Charlotte Observer, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of victims
Noun
  • Rattlesnakes are lazy hunters that wait in the shadows for prey to approach.
    — RJ Mackenzie, Popular Science, 1 Nov. 2026
  • One reason for the pattern, after all, is that presidents fall prey to hubris following success in their own elections.
    — Ramesh Ponnuru, Washington Post, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of prey
Noun
  • The committee heard substantial evidence that construction workers had smoked on site, and several cigarette butts and some partially burned materials, such as cardboard boxes, were found on the flat roof.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Oct. 2026
  • On a visit to the Bargello sculpture museum in Florence, Italy, a 3-year-old friend of mine was fascinated by its statues’ naked butts.
    — Blake Gopnik, New York Times, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of butts
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.

Browse Nearby Words

lightning rod
lightning rods
light (on or upon)
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Cite this Entry

“Lightning rods.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lightning%20rods. Accessed 3 Nov. 2026.

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