land mine

noun

: a mine usually placed just below the surface of the ground and designed to be exploded usually by the weight of vehicles or troops passing over it

—often used figuratively

Every aspect of this scheme is a potential land mine.

—Henry A. Kissinger

a political land mine

Synonyms

• booby trap
• catch
• catch-22
• gimmick
• gotcha
• hitch
• joker
• pitfall
• snag

Examples of land mine in a Sentence

parents of teenagers never know when they might set off an emotional land mine

Recent Examples on the Web

Russia already uses land mines in Ukraine, but those don't become inert over time. —Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 21 Nov. 2024

In 2023, Ukraine suffered the second-most land mine casualties in the world, behind only Syria. —Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY, 21 Nov. 2024

Russia has already been using land mines in Ukraine. —Samya Kullab and Illia Novikov, Los Angeles Times, 20 Nov. 2024

Driving the news: Russia has long used anti-personnel land mines in its war in Ukraine, which Ukraine has warned pose a threat to Ukrainian civilians. —Ivana Saric, Axios, 20 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

land mine

noun

: a mine placed just below the surface of the ground and designed to be exploded by the weight of the vehicles or troops passing over it