1
as in volcanoes
a potentially explosive place or situation
officials sought to calm the situation, which had grown into a tinderbox
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2
as in crises
a time or state of affairs requiring prompt or decisive action
while the country's prime minister was meeting with the U.S. president, a political tinderbox was igniting at home
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Recent Examples of tinderboxes
Unlike natural thinning, large fire-resilient trees are typically high-graded for felling in Jackson, creating tinderboxes of 300 to 500 mostly juvenile trees per acre.
—
John P. O’Brien, Mercury News, 13 Sep. 2025
John P. O’Brien, Mercury News, 13 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tinderboxes
Noun
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The idea was controversial, because volcanoes were always thought to act independently, tapping their own supplies of molten, eruptible rock.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Filmmaker Sara Dosa is going from the molten to the melting, from fiery volcanoes to dissolving glaciers.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Gas is still cheaper than in several prior geopolitical crises and energy is a smaller share of people's expenses.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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Structural adjustment programs devastated social services through budget cuts and user fees, creating barriers for the poor to access basic health care and education, while the liberalization of mining sectors caused severe environmental degradation and health crises.—
Sven van Mourik,
The Dial,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar have each worked hard to be seen as the crossroads for business, politics and innovation, hosting global sporting events from Formula 1 to high-stakes boxing championships and top-tier golf tournaments.—
Emma Graham,
CNBC,
25 Mar. 2026
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Shoulder surgery and a months-long rehab at this point in his career puts him at a crossroads, but the early signals from his recovery look positive.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tinderboxes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tinderboxes. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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