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Recent Examples of third rail
Disregarding the out-of-joint 2021 Finals, which were bumped up to July by the pandemic, Saturday has been a third rail for the NBA for the better part of the last 45 years.
—
Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 20 Jan. 2026
An equipment problem Wednesday morning that curtailed power to BART’s electric third rail caused the closure of a portion of one of its travel lines for about 95 minutes, officials said.
—Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 14 Jan. 2026
Moving through the pandemic, higher ed touched the third rail (online teaching and learning) and surprisingly came away uninjured.
—David Rosowsky, Forbes.com, 5 Jan. 2026
The Hyundai was lodged in the westbound trackway, and there was visible damage to the track and the electric third rail.
—Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for third rail
Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 20 Jan. 2026
An equipment problem Wednesday morning that curtailed power to BART’s electric third rail caused the closure of a portion of one of its travel lines for about 95 minutes, officials said.
—Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 14 Jan. 2026
Moving through the pandemic, higher ed touched the third rail (online teaching and learning) and surprisingly came away uninjured.
—David Rosowsky, Forbes.com, 5 Jan. 2026
The Hyundai was lodged in the westbound trackway, and there was visible damage to the track and the electric third rail.
—Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for third rail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for third rail
Noun
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This contemporary, topical story touches on many current hot button issues while delighting audiences with memorable songs and explosive dances.—
Jennifer McRae,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
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The issue of private equity investment in health care facilities has been a hot button topic in Connecticut recently.—
Jenna Carlesso,
Hartford Courant,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
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And every so often, the virus plants a ticking time bomb in the nervous system.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 Mar. 2026
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One-time bomb specialist Bob (Leonardo DiCaprio) is laying low with his now-teenage daughter, years after his cell got disrupted.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The Middle East, a global geopolitical issue since the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, and even more of a powder keg since the creation of Israel in 1948, is conflagrating once again.—
Michael Khouw,
CNBC,
5 Mar. 2026
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Or, perhaps even more likely, Iran devolves into a morass, a chaotic power struggle that destabilizes the entire powder keg of a region.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In the years since, gun control has continued to be a flash point, but there have been moves in the right direction.—
Kamye Hugley,
Sun Sentinel,
22 Mar. 2026
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Artificial intelligence — which has been a flash point among creatives in Hollywood — has also been a talking point among the academy and its members.—
Rebecca Keegan,
NBC news,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Third rail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/third%20rail. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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