1
as in volcano
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 crisis
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 tinderbox
Nigeria, on track to become more populous than China by the end of the century, could turn central Africa into a tinderbox.
—
Michael Albertus, Foreign Affairs, 4 Mar. 2025
After almost a year of a brutal war with Hamas in Gaza, Israel is at the center of a tinderbox of multiple, interrelated Middle East conflicts.
—Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 12 Sep. 2024
Forests have become tinderboxes overgrown with trees, shrubs, and other fuels due to lack of maintenance and decades of fire suppression—to the point where 80 million acres are in need of restoration.
—Joel Thayer, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025
The big picture: Both Trump and President Biden will now face pressure to dial down the temperature ahead of an election that has transformed the country into a tinderbox, writes Axios' Zachary Basu.
—Justin Kaufmann, Axios, 14 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for tinderbox
Michael Albertus, Foreign Affairs, 4 Mar. 2025
After almost a year of a brutal war with Hamas in Gaza, Israel is at the center of a tinderbox of multiple, interrelated Middle East conflicts.
—Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 12 Sep. 2024
Forests have become tinderboxes overgrown with trees, shrubs, and other fuels due to lack of maintenance and decades of fire suppression—to the point where 80 million acres are in need of restoration.
—Joel Thayer, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025
The big picture: Both Trump and President Biden will now face pressure to dial down the temperature ahead of an election that has transformed the country into a tinderbox, writes Axios' Zachary Basu.
—Justin Kaufmann, Axios, 14 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for tinderbox
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tinderbox
Noun
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Axial Seamount is one of countless volcanoes that are underwater.—
Rong-Gong Lin II,
Los Angeles Times,
20 May 2025
-
The flight from Paris to the island of Réunion, a French overseas department in the Indian Ocean, takes 11 hours, skirting the smoldering crater of the Piton de la Fournaise volcano before landing just shy of the water.—
Jay Cheshes,
Smithsonian Magazine,
20 May 2025
Noun
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Since returning to office, Trump has moved with speed and severity to eliminate legal immigration pathways, particularly humanitarian protections for those who fled crises abroad.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 May 2025
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Greece, which faced a major economic crisis a decade ago, has since experienced a strong rebound and a booming tourism sector under Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.—
Russell Flannery,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2025
Noun
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Other fans even modified Taylor Swift lyrics to fit the situation, showing off their creativity.—
Starr Bowenbank,
People.com,
22 May 2025
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The worst-case scenario for Amazon, of course, would be a situation where the telecast was glitchy.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
21 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tinderbox.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tinderbox. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.
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