as in volcano
a potentially explosive place or situation
the immigration bill has become a political powder keg for legislators on both sides of the aisle
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Recent Examples of powder keg
This week’s incident was the spark many feared amid a growing powder keg of heightened activity by immigration authorities in Minneapolis and nationwide.
—
Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 10 Jan. 2026
Add in the ongoing drama surrounding the team (recent reports indicate star quarterback Jalen Hurts and receiver A.J. Brown have beef with each other), and Philadelphia is potentially sitting on a powder keg that could ignite at any moment.
—Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Nov. 2025
In the update, Cumberbatch and Colman play a seemingly perfect husband and wife with the perfect family, but underneath the façade is a powder keg of resentment and fierce competition that eventually blows.
—Patrick Hipes, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2025
The entire country was a messianic powder keg.
—Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for powder keg
Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 10 Jan. 2026
Add in the ongoing drama surrounding the team (recent reports indicate star quarterback Jalen Hurts and receiver A.J. Brown have beef with each other), and Philadelphia is potentially sitting on a powder keg that could ignite at any moment.
—Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Nov. 2025
In the update, Cumberbatch and Colman play a seemingly perfect husband and wife with the perfect family, but underneath the façade is a powder keg of resentment and fierce competition that eventually blows.
—Patrick Hipes, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2025
The entire country was a messianic powder keg.
—Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for powder keg
Recent Examples of Synonyms for powder keg
volcano
Noun
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Another brilliant show of Earth's power was caught on camera over the weekend when a geyser of molten rock burst from the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
16 Feb. 2026
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This dormant volcano provided a majestic backdrop for the resort—our home base for five days.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Powder keg.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/powder%20keg. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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