as in time bomb
a potentially explosive place or situation after months of tension the roommates' living situation was a volcano

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of volcano Her voice is the center (a volcano, an oasis) and the music is simple, supportive and emotional. Liza Lentini, SPIN, 24 Jan. 2025 For the curious traveler contemplating a trip to Panama — also home to rainforests, deserts, volcanoes and more than 1,600 islands — here’s CNN Travel’s guide to how to visit the canal. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 20 Jan. 2025 Io’s surface, marked by erupting volcanoes and lava flows, offered a striking contrast to Jupiter’s colorful cloud patterns. Jamie Carter, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025 Image Delille, who now flies regularly with Harding, said the conductor has a passion for difficult routes — those with mountains, short runways and volcanoes. Benjamin Malapris, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for volcano 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for volcano
Noun
  • And Waves, the Czech ticking time bomb historical thriller, audience award winner at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival, won over the Academy.
    Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Dec. 2024
  • The obesity epidemic is a ticking time bomb, and the current system of trial and error isn't cutting it.
    Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Mobilizing more military hardware, stationing U.S. forces closer to opponents, and spurring weapons proliferation among allies only makes the region more of a powder keg.
    Van Jackson, Foreign Affairs, 22 Oct. 2021
  • 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
Noun
  • Funding for Ukraine has been a frequent flash point in government funding negotiations since Russia’s 2022 invasion, and the spigot is likely to close upon Trump’s inauguration.
    Sylvan Lane, The Hill, 10 Dec. 2024
  • What had been an inconvenience in one direction is now a blockage for both, a potential flash point.
    Alfredo Sosa, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near volcano

Cite this Entry

“Volcano.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/volcano. Accessed 5 Feb. 2025.

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