powder keg

noun

: a small usually metal cask for holding gunpowder or blasting powder

: something liable to explode

Examples of powder keg in a Sentence

Political instability has made the region a powder keg. the immigration bill has become a political powder keg for legislators on both sides of the aisle

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Although much of it was filmed in Ontario, the series has a good sense of Philadelphia as a stratified powder keg of a city. —

Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Nov. 2024 Meanwhile, Josh is feeling the pressure after being benched due to legislative blunders, and the whole thing feels like a powder keg. —

Matthew Jackson, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2024 Barak Ravid, Zachary Basu 29 mins ago - World Israel's new powder keg Israel's assassination spree in Iran and Lebanon has brought the Middle East closer to a devastating regional war than at any point since Hamas' Oct. 7 terrorist attack. —

Ryan Lawler, Axios, 19 July 2024 There’s that earworm refrain, followed by formidably declarative verses, a powder keg of a chorus and a high-concept bridge. —

Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for powder keg