lightning rod

noun

1

: a grounded metallic rod set up on a structure (such as a building) to protect it from lightning

2

: one that serves to divert attack from another

3

: one that is a frequent target of criticism or focus of controversy

she has become a convenient lightning rod for voters' discontent with law-and-order issues

—Aric Press et al.

Examples of lightning rod in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Campus boot has become a lightning rod for conversations—or more accurately, arguments—between consumers who claim to have the moral high ground about fashion’s waste problem and its lack of inclusivity. —Sam Reed, Glamour, 31 Oct. 2024

Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa share custody of most of December; Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July have become, for some, political lightning rods. —Kate Lindsay, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2024

This pattern should sound familiar to anyone who has followed various pop stars’ rocky roads to the top in recent years, none more intense than the journey of nascent superstar and internet lightning rod Chappell Roan. —Hazlitt, 23 Oct. 2024

Lil Wayne being overlooked for the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show for Kendrick Lamar became a lightning rod for conversation within hip-hop circles. —Michael Saponara, Billboard, 18 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1770, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

lightning rod

noun

: a metal rod set up on a building or a ship and connected with the earth or water below to decrease the chances of damage from lightning