third rail
noun
1
: a metal rail through which electric current is led to the motors of an electric vehicle (such as a subway car)
2
: a controversial issue usually avoided by politicians
Examples of third rail in a Sentence
Social Security is the third rail of American politics.
Recent Examples on the Web
Yet reining them in has proved to be a political third rail.
—
Gordon Adams, Foreign Affairs, 1 Jan. 2010
Protecting Social Security and Medicare: Trump has pledged not to touch the third rail of politics, even floating a plan to cut Social Security taxes for seniors.
—Axios, 9 Oct. 2024
Trump stood on stage for nearly two hours, touching the third rail of Wisconsin politics by overlapping with a Green Bay Packers game, drawing derision from Democrats.
—Adriana Gomez Licon, Twin Cities, 6 Oct. 2024
But Ginsberg and others did not do so, and that required significant amounts of courage, the same kind that Harlan brought to the scene in his own writing, which often touched a variety of cultural third rails.
—Jason Sheehan, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for third rail 
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Gordon Adams, Foreign Affairs, 1 Jan. 2010
Protecting Social Security and Medicare: Trump has pledged not to touch the third rail of politics, even floating a plan to cut Social Security taxes for seniors.
—Axios, 9 Oct. 2024
Trump stood on stage for nearly two hours, touching the third rail of Wisconsin politics by overlapping with a Green Bay Packers game, drawing derision from Democrats.
—Adriana Gomez Licon, Twin Cities, 6 Oct. 2024
But Ginsberg and others did not do so, and that required significant amounts of courage, the same kind that Harlan brought to the scene in his own writing, which often touched a variety of cultural third rails.
—Jason Sheehan, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for third rail
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Dictionary Entries Near third rail
Cite this Entry
“Third rail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/third%20rail. Accessed 16 Nov. 2024.
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