1
as in volcano
a potentially explosive place or situation
that troubled region remains one of the world's most dangerous flash points
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2
as in crisis
a time or state of affairs requiring prompt or decisive action
tensions between the two longtime adversaries were at a flash point
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flash point
That’s a huge flash point in American society, far beyond this play.
—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
26 May 2026
The fund is quickly turning into a high-level flash point between the White House and a GOP Senate that has mostly put aside differences with the president.
—
Sarah Davis,
The Hill,
22 May 2026
The context for Xi’s remarks was a potential war between China and the United States over Taiwan, and the urgency to tamp down flash points.
—
Letters To The Editor,
Washington Post,
17 May 2026
Sidewalks and paths were another flash point, with Council Member Chris Allgood pressing the developer to help fill gaps along Montana Avenue so students can safely walk between Gem State Adventist Academy and nearby public schools.
—
Noah Daly
may 7,
Idaho Statesman,
7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for flash point
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
26 May 2026
The fund is quickly turning into a high-level flash point between the White House and a GOP Senate that has mostly put aside differences with the president.
—
Sarah Davis,
The Hill,
22 May 2026
The context for Xi’s remarks was a potential war between China and the United States over Taiwan, and the urgency to tamp down flash points.
—
Letters To The Editor,
Washington Post,
17 May 2026
Sidewalks and paths were another flash point, with Council Member Chris Allgood pressing the developer to help fill gaps along Montana Avenue so students can safely walk between Gem State Adventist Academy and nearby public schools.
—
Noah Daly
may 7,
Idaho Statesman,
7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for flash point
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flash point
Noun
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Its dormant volcano, known as the Quill, dominates the southern part of the island.
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The breakthrough was announced in a press conference at the Biblioteca Nazionale di Napoli Vittorio Emanuele III, just 40 miles away from the famous volcano, on Thursday, June 25, by researchers working on the Vesuvius Challenge.
Noun
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Andrea Davis, president and CEO of The Resiliency Initiative, has spent 25 years planning emergency response and crisis management for organizations including Disney, Walmart, the FIFA World Cup and Times Square's New Year's Eve celebration.
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Psychological trauma is also emerging as a major secondary crisis.
Noun
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The sobering Social Security and Medicare reports clearly show that a fiscal time bomb is ticking.
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That is a real fiscal time bomb that could set off generational warfare in Washington.
Noun
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With the tension in the villa growing and reaching a boiling point following Casa Amor, Miller and Pessoa faced backlash over their takes on the latest Aftersun episode, which streamed on Saturday, June 26.
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Water temperatures in the area ranged from 185 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit, near the boiling point at Yellowstone's elevation.
Noun
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Use the ax head of a garden mattock to cut through the roots at the base of the stump.
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The debate usually comes to a head in the summer, when high inland temperatures send bigger crowds to the beach, sometimes straining the mood of residents who live there.
Noun
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Keep in mind, there is a breaking point.
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Three of the Netherlands’ four goals came from this method, as Gakpo, Dumfries and Summerville stretched the Swedish defence to breaking point and opened up additional space in the middle.
Noun
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With the games now having the kind of stakes that Thursday’s contest lacked, that leaky defense – especially in crunch time toward the end of matches – is the possible Achilles heel for this team.
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The owners could be banking that if their cap proposal looks better and better over time, players might think twice about choosing to miss games when crunch time arrives.
Cite this Entry
“Flash point.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flash%20point. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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