1
as in volcano
a potentially explosive place or situation
that troubled region remains one of the world's most dangerous flash points
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2
as in crisis
a time or state of affairs requiring prompt or decisive action
tensions between the two longtime adversaries were at a flash point
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flash point
Other potential flash points for Treasury yields loom.
—
Jeff Sommer, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025
Grant was unarmed, and that incident, which a number of people recorded on their cellphones, became a political flash point.
—Jelani Cobb, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
The case of Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man from El Salvador, has become a flash point in Trump’s deportation efforts.
—Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 21 Apr. 2025
If Zelensky should never have allowed the war to happen, then who is responsible for turning Taiwan into one of the world's most dangerous flash points?
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 18 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flash point
Jeff Sommer, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025
Grant was unarmed, and that incident, which a number of people recorded on their cellphones, became a political flash point.
—Jelani Cobb, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
The case of Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man from El Salvador, has become a flash point in Trump’s deportation efforts.
—Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 21 Apr. 2025
If Zelensky should never have allowed the war to happen, then who is responsible for turning Taiwan into one of the world's most dangerous flash points?
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 18 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flash point
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flash point
Noun
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Oahu is a popular tourist destination that is home to numerous beaches, volcanos, and Peal Harbor, among other attractions.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 May 2025
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However, this area is now inhabited by about 400,000 people, and with an uptick in seismic activity, understanding this volcano is now more important than ever.—
Monica Cull,
Discover Magazine,
29 May 2025
Noun
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Since returning to office, Trump has moved with speed and severity to eliminate legal immigration pathways, particularly humanitarian protections for those who fled crises abroad.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 May 2025
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Both sides of the political spectrum are using the term constitutional crisis.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
26 May 2025
Noun
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Mahnaz’s son is a Tasmanian devil spinning his ticking time bomb energy into entrepreneurial pursuits (running a gambling ring at school), bullying classmates and yelling at any adult that interferes with his forcefield.—
Sophie Monks Kaufman,
IndieWire,
22 May 2025
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Family travel in the summer is a bit like flying with a piña colada in one hand and a ticking time bomb in the other.—
Jordi Lippe-McGraw,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2025
Noun
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Pham was born in Vietnam in 1967 as the war reached a boiling point, and his family repeatedly tried to flee the country.—
Blake Nelson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 May 2025
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When Homa tossed that club on Sunday, the mini fit of rage made for a kitschy little video clip of a player reaching a boiling point.—
Brendan Quinn,
New York Times,
21 May 2025
Noun
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Delimitros said one of the truck’s side view mirrors struck her in the head, causing minor injuries.—
David Hernandez,
sandiegouniontribune.com,
19 July 2017
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Now, Maineri heads into year 12 with 18 pitchers on his roster, hoping that rising junior Caleb Gilbert and sophomore-to-be Zach Hess will emerge at the top of the pitching rotation.—
John Roach,
NOLA.com,
19 July 2017
Noun
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Merryweather gave up two runs in two-thirds of an inning in Friday’s comeback win against the Reds, ultimately the breaking point for the Cubs to move on.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
24 May 2025
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Meanwhile, Ava reaches her breaking point at the show.—
Billie Melissa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 May 2025
Noun
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Instead, Washington picked up two wins in crunch time thanks to the league’s leading scorer, Brittney Sykes.—
Sabreena Merchant,
New York Times,
19 May 2025
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The Minutemen, who lost a 3-2 thriller to Wayland in the opener, continued to show their improvement in crunch time by taking the next two points on a kill and block from Manuelian.—
Tom Mulherin,
Boston Herald,
12 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flash point.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flash%20point. Accessed 9 Jun. 2025.
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