as in time bomb
a potentially explosive place or situation
after months of tension the roommates' living situation was a volcano
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of volcano
The deposits that blanketed the volcanoes’ steep flanks were critical clues, Preine said.
—
Quanta Magazine, 26 May 2026
That’s not a volcano sitting in the western suburbs of Guadalajara — though several real ones are not too far away.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 26 May 2026
Millions of years before life on Earth came to be, volcanoes erupted on the Red Planet, too.
—Tom Brown, Space.com, 25 May 2026
The signature outing is a pre-dawn ascent of Mount Batur, Bali’s second-highest peak and an active volcano.
—Ritu Upadhyay, Footwear News, 23 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for volcano
Quanta Magazine, 26 May 2026
That’s not a volcano sitting in the western suburbs of Guadalajara — though several real ones are not too far away.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 26 May 2026
Millions of years before life on Earth came to be, volcanoes erupted on the Red Planet, too.
—Tom Brown, Space.com, 25 May 2026
The signature outing is a pre-dawn ascent of Mount Batur, Bali’s second-highest peak and an active volcano.
—Ritu Upadhyay, Footwear News, 23 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for volcano
Recent Examples of Synonyms for volcano
Noun
-
Can people avoid the ticking HSA tax time bomb?—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
20 May 2026
-
That is a real fiscal time bomb that could set off generational warfare in Washington.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
Ferreira is the lone outsider, a friend of the youngest son, Johnny, who gets thrown into a powder keg of a holiday.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Lane takes his place among the best, his Willy Loman a powder keg of frustration and disappointment and deep, deep sadness.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Death is often a flash point for communal anger.—
Gabrielle Emanuel,
NPR,
29 May 2026
-
That’s a huge flash point in American society, far beyond this play.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
26 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Volcano.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/volcano. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
