powder kegs

Definition of powder kegsnext
plural of powder keg
as in volcanoes
a potentially explosive place or situation the immigration bill has become a political powder keg for legislators on both sides of the aisle

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 powder kegs There are several other emotional powder kegs that need one little spark, and those babies are going all the way off. Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for powder kegs
volcanoes
Noun
  • During my most recent visit in 2025, my family and I spent time driving around on the mostly one-lane highway, through the hills and valleys of the six volcanoes that lie rumbling underneath the island.
    Emily Adler, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Apr. 2026
  • The idea was controversial, because volcanoes were always thought to act independently, tapping their own supplies of molten, eruptible rock.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 27 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Powder kegs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/powder%20kegs. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.

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