as in hot button
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Recent Examples of third rail
There are billions of dollars in potential savings from MA changes, but the program is a political third rail given the influence of insurers and the perils of igniting attacks about cutting Medicare.
—
Peter Sullivan, Axios, 20 Mar. 2025
Reducing tangible benefits — beyond mere waste and fraud — risks touching a political third rail.
—Richard Menger Md Mpa, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
The threat of severe cutbacks amid those entitlements, long considered a third rail in U.S. politics, has angered some Trump allies.
—Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 13 Mar. 2025
There was significant damage to BART’s third rail and track infrastructure, which were repaired after the vehicle was removed.
—Harry Harris, The Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for third rail
Peter Sullivan, Axios, 20 Mar. 2025
Reducing tangible benefits — beyond mere waste and fraud — risks touching a political third rail.
—Richard Menger Md Mpa, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
The threat of severe cutbacks amid those entitlements, long considered a third rail in U.S. politics, has angered some Trump allies.
—Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 13 Mar. 2025
There was significant damage to BART’s third rail and track infrastructure, which were repaired after the vehicle was removed.
—Harry Harris, The Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for third rail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for third rail
Noun
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His pastoral positions, though, are not well known, as he's rarely spoken out on some of the church's hot button issues.—
Jorge L. Ortiz,
USA Today,
6 May 2025
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Healey has sadly been a pushover to House and Senate Democrats, rarely challenging them on fiscal issues or hot button topics like the migrant crisis.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
27 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Furthermore, as the global energy demand continues to rise, especially in emerging economies which have very limited energy security, which makes the fossil fuel dependency a ticking time bomb.—
Dianne Plummer,
Forbes.com,
8 May 2025
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Books Orwell’s 5 greatest essays: No. 1, ‘Politics and the English Language’ Nov. 8, 2013 Some Wodehouse lines are like time bombs, detonating with a momentary delay.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
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This was the powder keg that ultimately sparked in the 1911 Champagne riots.—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
28 Apr. 2025
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The room was full and full of energy, reminiscent of the powder keg vibe of early Odd Future shows.f During weekend one, the group played in minimal light, obscuring their faces entirely.—
Jeff Miller,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Grant was unarmed, and that incident, which a number of people recorded on their cellphones, became a political flash point.—
Jelani Cobb,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2025
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The case of Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man from El Salvador, has become a flash point in Trump’s deportation efforts.—
Rebecca Beitsch,
The Hill,
21 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Third rail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/third%20rail. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
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