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
Trump ‘packed the powder keg’ Officials acknowledged people in Connecticut had taken into custody by ICE.
—
Katy Golvala, Hartford Courant, 12 June 2025
However, internal conflict between the brash younger generation and the old-school leadership threatens to set a match to this powder keg, which will sweep the Westies into the FBI’s ever-deepening investigation into the Italian mafia.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 11 June 2025
In May of 2020, a standoff between a small-town sheriff (Joaquin Phoenix) and mayor (Pedro Pascal) sparks a powder keg as neighbor is pitted against neighbor in Eddington, New Mexico.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 5 June 2025
The powder keg situation in the town is stoked primarily by the upsurge in Black Lives Matter protests in the wake of George Floyd’s murder by a white Minneapolis cop.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for powder keg
Katy Golvala, Hartford Courant, 12 June 2025
However, internal conflict between the brash younger generation and the old-school leadership threatens to set a match to this powder keg, which will sweep the Westies into the FBI’s ever-deepening investigation into the Italian mafia.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 11 June 2025
In May of 2020, a standoff between a small-town sheriff (Joaquin Phoenix) and mayor (Pedro Pascal) sparks a powder keg as neighbor is pitted against neighbor in Eddington, New Mexico.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 5 June 2025
The powder keg situation in the town is stoked primarily by the upsurge in Black Lives Matter protests in the wake of George Floyd’s murder by a white Minneapolis cop.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for powder keg
Recent Examples of Synonyms for powder keg
volcano
Noun
-
Geologists recorded an avalanche of searing gas clouds mixed with rocks and lava traveling up to 3 miles down the volcano's slopes during the eruption.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 July 2025
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However, a secret held for decades by the U.S. military is far more terrifying than any volcano.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
7 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Powder keg.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/powder%20keg. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.
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