1
as in volcanoes
a potentially explosive place or situation
officials sought to calm the situation, which had grown into a tinderbox
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2
as in crises
a time or state of affairs requiring prompt or decisive action
while the country's prime minister was meeting with the U.S. president, a political tinderbox was igniting at home
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Recent Examples of tinderboxes
The Industrial Revolution, supercharged by the Civil War, transformed Northeastern cities into denser and denser wooden tinderboxes filled with tons of humans more than capable of accidentally generating sparks.
—
Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
Unlike natural thinning, large fire-resilient trees are typically high-graded for felling in Jackson, creating tinderboxes of 300 to 500 mostly juvenile trees per acre.
—John P. O’Brien, Mercury News, 13 Sep. 2025
Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
Unlike natural thinning, large fire-resilient trees are typically high-graded for felling in Jackson, creating tinderboxes of 300 to 500 mostly juvenile trees per acre.
—John P. O’Brien, Mercury News, 13 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tinderboxes
Noun
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From towering volcanoes to fish-flying markets, the Pacific Northwest packs a remarkable range of experiences into one corner of the country.—
Lauren Schuster,
Kansas City Star,
23 Apr. 2026
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Located inside the Big Island of Hawaii's sprawling Volcanoes National Park, Kilauea is among the most active volcanoes on Earth.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Throughout several consecutive years of unprecedented crises, the story follows a movement pushed to its limits.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
21 Apr. 2026
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There has been intense speculation about the role that mental health crises might have played in both shootings.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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For centuries, these islands have been at the crossroads of empires, trade routes and cultures.—
Adam Pourahmadi,
CNN Money,
22 Apr. 2026
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The multitude of water managers tasked with overseeing the drying Colorado River system stand at a dire crossroads.—
Elise Schmelzer,
Denver Post,
19 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tinderboxes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tinderboxes. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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