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 find confirms that tool-using humans could have witnessed the eruption from a safe distance; survivors recorded the event in the story told by the Gunditjmara people who have lived continuously in the region of Australia’s youngest volcanoes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Oct. 2025
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The Highlands The Highlands are an untamed region full of volcanoes, black deserts, and crater lakes.—
Gwen Nicol,
Travel + Leisure,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The ballot measures come as New York City faces one of the worst housing affordability crises in its history.—
Nathaniel Meyersohn,
CNN Money,
28 Oct. 2025
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Fear, anger, grief—all of these are human, appropriate responses to real crises.—
Marc Brackett,
Time,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Celine Song’s sophomore feature follows Dakota Johnson as a New York City matchmaker named Lucy, who finds herself at a romantic crossroads.—
Abigail Lee,
Variety,
22 Oct. 2025
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In 1981, Bruce Springsteen found himself at a crossroads.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
22 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tinderboxes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tinderboxes. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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