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
Mountains and valleys shape the paths of the wind; volcanoes scorch the air and shade it with their ash; ocean currents absorb heat and then evaporate into the sky, churning the air with their vapors.
—
Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
Ambivalence is the lava that spews from a volcano of emotions, the push and pull of loving someone yet being wary of them.
—Geoffrey Greif, Baltimore Sun, 28 Feb. 2026
Their science fair projects are quite the challenge, with a volcano that’s lost its fizz and a toy car that can’t take off.
—Sarah Scott, Parents, 27 Feb. 2026
Mud volcanoes are also found on the Southeastern shore of California's Salton Sea.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for volcano
Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
Ambivalence is the lava that spews from a volcano of emotions, the push and pull of loving someone yet being wary of them.
—Geoffrey Greif, Baltimore Sun, 28 Feb. 2026
Their science fair projects are quite the challenge, with a volcano that’s lost its fizz and a toy car that can’t take off.
—Sarah Scott, Parents, 27 Feb. 2026
Mud volcanoes are also found on the Southeastern shore of California's Salton Sea.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for volcano
Recent Examples of Synonyms for volcano
Noun
-
Furthermore, the failure to understand how dark-side behaviors undermine psychological safety and collective judgment in day-to-day decision-making contributes to the ticking time bomb problem noted earlier.—
Mary Crossan,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
-
And as the population continues to age, hundreds of millions could soon be leaving the workforce — a demographic crisis and ticking time bomb in one.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
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
-
Another blow in a broader battle The Kansas law is a flash point in the ongoing battle across the country for legal recognition of trans and nonbinary people’s existence.—
Noelle Martin,
The Conversation,
1 Mar. 2026
-
This year, the island is a flash point once again.—
Vivian Salama,
The Atlantic,
1 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Volcano.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/volcano. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
