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Recent Examples of third rail
The new law rolls back California’s landmark environmental review law to exempt urban apartment developments, an idea once considered a legislative third rail.
—
Calmatters, Mercury News, 13 July 2025
Medicare trustees have sounded the alarm on the Hospital Trust Fund for years, though the warnings have mostly been ignored by Congress, as lawmakers view Medicare reforms as a political third rail.
—Aris Folley, The Hill, 18 June 2025
The two Tennessee administrators had just stepped on the third rail of college sports.
—Seth Emerson, New York Times, 29 May 2025
Centering African-American stories and characters, DuVernay’s films frequently come into contact with the third rails of American history, such as incarceration, segregation and slavery.
—Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for third rail
Calmatters, Mercury News, 13 July 2025
Medicare trustees have sounded the alarm on the Hospital Trust Fund for years, though the warnings have mostly been ignored by Congress, as lawmakers view Medicare reforms as a political third rail.
—Aris Folley, The Hill, 18 June 2025
The two Tennessee administrators had just stepped on the third rail of college sports.
—Seth Emerson, New York Times, 29 May 2025
Centering African-American stories and characters, DuVernay’s films frequently come into contact with the third rails of American history, such as incarceration, segregation and slavery.
—Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for third rail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for third rail
Noun
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That has become a hot button issue, with both the left and the right side of the political aisle accusing the chatbot of bias.—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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The panel previously decided against pushing for open primaries — a hot button issue that had advocates from all ends of the political spectrum up in arms.—
Josephine Stratman,
New York Daily News,
21 July 2025
Noun
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For much of the film, that enticing idea undergirds the main plot line like a ticking time bomb.—
Gregory Nussen,
Deadline,
3 Sep. 2025
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The insurance and housing sectors are scrambling to try to get ahead of this ticking time bomb.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The fact that Maggie is Black, and rich, is a secondary powder keg that will blow up later in the story, when the firings start, the litany of cancellations pile up, and recriminations ricochet through the building.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
29 Aug. 2025
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The official synopsis for Eddington, as per A24, reads: 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.—
Billie Melissa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Abrego Garcia’s case became a flash point in Trump’s immigration crackdown after he was mistakenly deported to El Salvador in March. Venezuelans and immigrants from Afghanistan, Russia, Iran, China and other countries have also been sent to Costa Rica and Panama.—
Juan A. Lozano,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Aug. 2025
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The union will also be looking to address health and pension issues, a flash point ever since thousands of retirees were kicked off the health plan in 2020, as well as protections against artificial intelligence.—
Gene Maddaus,
Variety,
13 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Third rail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/third%20rail. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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