1
as in volcano
a potentially explosive place or situation
that troubled region remains one of the world's most dangerous flash points
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in crisis
a time or state of affairs requiring prompt or decisive action
tensions between the two longtime adversaries were at a flash point
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flash point
Lebanon becomes the flash point The single biggest point of contention, and now the most violent, is Lebanon.
—
Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 8 Apr. 2026
In the years since, gun control has continued to be a flash point, but there have been moves in the right direction.
—Kamye Hugley, Sun Sentinel, 22 Mar. 2026
The arrest became a flash point during his Forget Tomorrow World Tour.
—Aidin Vaziri, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Mar. 2026
This year, the island is a flash point once again.
—Vivian Salama, The Atlantic, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flash point
Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 8 Apr. 2026
In the years since, gun control has continued to be a flash point, but there have been moves in the right direction.
—Kamye Hugley, Sun Sentinel, 22 Mar. 2026
The arrest became a flash point during his Forget Tomorrow World Tour.
—Aidin Vaziri, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Mar. 2026
This year, the island is a flash point once again.
—Vivian Salama, The Atlantic, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flash point
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flash point
Noun
-
In the distance, stretching the vista almost to its breaking point, are two snowcapped volcanoes.—
Sebastian Smee,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Butterflies, metamorphic rock, volcanoes, anything in nature that creates.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
In the meantime, the energy crisis continues, threatening summer holidays in Asia and Europe as the loss of jet fuel supplies from the Middle East ripples across those regions.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
7 May 2026
-
But beneath the joy and abandon, the AIDS crisis casts an ever-deepening shadow.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
Neighbors said the drunken Queens man who broke into his estranged wife’s home and set off a gas explosion seemed like anything but a ticking time bomb.—
Rebecca White,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2026
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Regulators and former employees call it one of the most notorious chameleon schemes — a ticking time bomb on our nation's roadways.—
Ashley Velie,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Game 3’s 2-1 loss to Montreal turned out to be the boiling point between the Frost and Victoire.—
Theodore Tollefson,
Twin Cities,
8 May 2026
-
After spending more than two million dollars on VIP jet charter services, his frustrations with the industry reached a boiling point.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Nick Nurse will continue in his role as head coach, according to team sources.—
Tony Jones,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
-
Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
The Kansas City Royals might have reached their breaking point against the Yankees in New York on Saturday.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
18 Apr. 2026
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The tension between engineering and finance reached a breaking point with the 737 MAX as the company tried to compete with Airbus.—
John Pacenti,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Then, Stephon Castle fouled out heading into crunch time, taking away the team’s most reliable dribble penetrator who can help create open 3s.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
5 May 2026
-
Instead, Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards, Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver’s Jamal Murray were the final three in the running for the league’s crunch time award.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flash point.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flash%20point. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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