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land mine
noun
: a mine usually placed just below the surface of the ground and designed to be exploded usually by the weight of vehicles or troops passing over it
—often used figuratively
Every aspect of this scheme is a potential land mine.—Henry A. Kissinger
a political land mine
Synonyms
Examples of land mine in a Sentence
parents of teenagers never know when they might set off an emotional land mine
Recent Examples on the Web
The Biden administration’s decision to send antipersonnel land mines to Ukraine in November 2024 was another case of the United States disregarding supposedly universal norms.
—Sarah Yager, Foreign Affairs, 14 Jan. 2025
Jubair was taught how to pull the pin of a grenade and to assemble a land mine.
—Adam Ferguson, New York Times, 28 Dec. 2024
Defense Ballard Partners also registered to lobby on issues related to land mine detection on behalf of the defense technology company Safe Pro Group.
—Taylor Giorno, The Hill, 17 Dec. 2024
According to the United Nations, land mines threaten lives in more than 70 countries.
—Ritsuko Kawai, WIRED, 4 Dec. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1890, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near land mine
Cite this Entry
“Land mine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/land%20mine. Accessed 24 Jan. 2025.
Kids Definition
land mine
noun
: a mine placed just below the surface of the ground and designed to be exploded by the weight of the vehicles or troops passing over it
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