flash point

noun

1
: the lowest temperature at which vapors above a volatile combustible substance ignite in air when exposed to flame
2
: a point at which someone or something bursts suddenly into action or being
3

Examples of flash point in a Sentence

The city became a flash point as political tensions grew. The situation reached a flash point when union leaders urged the workers to protest.
Recent Examples on the Web An Instagram post of the scene, posted two days later, became a flash point, inflaming tensions at UCLA. Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2024 The line’s wit, combined with Lamar’s punchy, triumphant delivery, quickly went viral on social media, and became a flash point in the entire feud: Lamar had successfully used his skills as a musician and a wordsmith to persuade people that Drake was a genuinely bad person. TIME, 7 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for flash point 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'flash point.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1878, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of flash point was in 1878

Dictionary Entries Near flash point

Cite this Entry

“Flash point.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flash%20point. Accessed 29 May. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on flash point

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