powder keg
noun
1
: a small usually metal cask for holding gunpowder or blasting powder
2
: 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
Things may have been all fun and games (literally) for a few months, but Yellowjackets' camp is a powder keg of teen hormones, power hunger and religious drama ready to explode.
—
Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2025
The first-look teaser, unfolding at a gas station, promises a powder keg of tension waiting to explode beneath the serene beauty of village life.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Feb. 2025
Defying genre with every fresh step, Jacques Audiard’s stylishly provocative thriller continually explodes its narrative with powder keg performances from Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón and Selena Gomez – a true triple threat of today’s top talent.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 7 Feb. 2025
Wes accurately identifies that as the powder keg that made Rob turn on his fellow Traitor.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for powder keg 
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Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2025
The first-look teaser, unfolding at a gas station, promises a powder keg of tension waiting to explode beneath the serene beauty of village life.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Feb. 2025
Defying genre with every fresh step, Jacques Audiard’s stylishly provocative thriller continually explodes its narrative with powder keg performances from Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón and Selena Gomez – a true triple threat of today’s top talent.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 7 Feb. 2025
Wes accurately identifies that as the powder keg that made Rob turn on his fellow Traitor.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for powder keg
Dictionary Entries Near powder keg
Cite this Entry
“Powder keg.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/powder%20keg. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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