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
The Maryland man’s deportation has become a flash point in American politics, with Democrats demanding he be returned.
—
Lauren Irwin, The Hill, 27 Apr. 2025
This case has become a national flash point as the Trump administration ratchets up its deportation efforts and its crackdown on immigration.
—Brett Samuels, The Hill, 18 Apr. 2025
Gender dynamics became a flash point: Danes see themselves as pioneers for equality, while many new arrivals came from traditional Muslim societies where women often did not work outside the home and girls could not always decide when and whom to marry.
—Robert Petkoff Krish Seenivasan Quinton Kamara, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2025
The veteran transportation-safety reporter Matthew L. Wald joins The Political Scene podcast to break down how airline safety has become a political flash point.
—Nicola Twilley, The New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flash point
Lauren Irwin, The Hill, 27 Apr. 2025
This case has become a national flash point as the Trump administration ratchets up its deportation efforts and its crackdown on immigration.
—Brett Samuels, The Hill, 18 Apr. 2025
Gender dynamics became a flash point: Danes see themselves as pioneers for equality, while many new arrivals came from traditional Muslim societies where women often did not work outside the home and girls could not always decide when and whom to marry.
—Robert Petkoff Krish Seenivasan Quinton Kamara, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2025
The veteran transportation-safety reporter Matthew L. Wald joins The Political Scene podcast to break down how airline safety has become a political flash point.
—Nicola Twilley, The New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flash point
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flash point
Noun
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The flight from Paris to the island of Réunion, a French overseas department in the Indian Ocean, takes 11 hours, skirting the smoldering crater of the Piton de la Fournaise volcano before landing just shy of the water.—
Jay Cheshes,
Smithsonian Magazine,
20 May 2025
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Axial Seamount is one of countless volcanoes that are underwater.—
Rong-Gong Lin II,
Los Angeles Times,
20 May 2025
Noun
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President Donald Trump has highlighted fentanyl overdoses as a public health crisis and national emergency, and repeatedly criticized both Canada and Mexico for not doing enough to stop cross-border drug sales to American consumers.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
15 May 2025
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In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, only 10% of investors liquidated their entire 529 accounts, and 20% switched to less risky assets, according to an earlier survey by higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz.—
Jessica Dickler,
CNBC,
14 May 2025
Noun
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Furthermore, as the global energy demand continues to rise, especially in emerging economies which have very limited energy security, which makes the fossil fuel dependency a ticking time bomb.—
Dianne Plummer,
Forbes.com,
8 May 2025
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Books Orwell’s 5 greatest essays: No. 1, ‘Politics and the English Language’ Nov. 8, 2013 Some Wodehouse lines are like time bombs, detonating with a momentary delay.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Their relationship reportedly came to a boiling point when Gacy was 20 years old.—
Andrew Nodell,
People.com,
9 May 2025
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The tensions have further reached a boiling point, with India and Pakistan trading missile strikes across Wednesday and Thursday.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
8 May 2025
Noun
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Cal Fire representatives said the current parking mess has already impacted them because the driveway to their station enters the highway not far from the trail head.—
J. Harry Jones,
Ramona Sentinel,
19 July 2017
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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
Noun
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What was supposed to be a celebratory bachelorette party turned into the breaking point of a years-long toxic relationship—and now the internet is rallying behind the woman who spoke up.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 May 2025
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Comments See an exclusive sneak peek at Tyler Perry's Straw, starring Taraji P. Henson as a struggling single mother pushed to her breaking point.—
Sydney Bucksbaum,
EW.com,
7 May 2025
Noun
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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
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Murray made every play his team needed him to in crunch time.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flash point.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flash%20point. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
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