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

• booby trap
• catch
• catch-22
• gimmick
• gotcha
• hitch
• joker
• pitfall
• snag

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

Zelensky Number of Ukrainian Soldiers Accused of Abandoning Positions Soars Map Shows Where the World Stands on Ukraine Last week, a U.S. defense official confirmed to Newsweek that the Biden administration had reversed its policy on antipersonnel land mines. —Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2024

For CISOs and identity executives, the growing complexity of their application ecosystems is creating governance land mines that aren't being addressed by traditional approaches. —Eric Olden, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024

The provision of land mines to Ukraine has been condemned by a variety of lawmakers and human rights groups because of the indiscriminate nature of those weapons. —John Ismay, New York Times, 3 Dec. 2024

While the conflict appears to be over for now, there are remnants of the war everywhere: step off the road and a land mine might do you in. —Tim Neville, Outside Online, 25 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined above

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