tinderbox
noun
tin·der·box
ˈtin-dər-ˌbäks 
1
a
: a metal box for holding tinder and usually a flint and steel for striking a spark
b
: a highly inflammable object or place
2
: a potentially explosive place or situation
Examples of tinderbox in a Sentence
That old house is really a tinderbox.
officials sought to calm the situation, which had grown into a tinderbox
Recent Examples on the Web
During the Biden administration, the border emerged as a tinderbox, with thousands of people seeking to cross into the country each day.
—
Rebecca Santana,
Los Angeles Times,
2 July 2026
Drought and unusually hot, gusty winds that reached up to 60 mph over the weekend have transformed the area into a tinderbox where more than 28,000 acres have already been scorched.
—
Chelsea Bailey,
CNN Money,
29 June 2026
The massive reorganization of the country’s federal firefighting strategy comes as dry and hot conditions have turned the country into a tinderbox.
—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
30 Apr. 2026
Extreme drought has turned the region into a tinderbox and allowed flames to spread.
—
Sarah Lynch Baldwin,
CBS News,
25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tinderbox
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.
Rebecca Santana,
Los Angeles Times,
2 July 2026
Drought and unusually hot, gusty winds that reached up to 60 mph over the weekend have transformed the area into a tinderbox where more than 28,000 acres have already been scorched.
—
Chelsea Bailey,
CNN Money,
29 June 2026
The massive reorganization of the country’s federal firefighting strategy comes as dry and hot conditions have turned the country into a tinderbox.
—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
30 Apr. 2026
Extreme drought has turned the region into a tinderbox and allowed flames to spread.
—
Sarah Lynch Baldwin,
CBS News,
25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tinderbox
Cite this Entry
“Tinderbox.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tinderbox. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tinderbox
noun
tin·der·box
-ˌbäks
1
: a metal box for holding tinder and usually a flint and steel for striking a spark
2
: something that can easily catch fire
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
