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

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
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.
China has provided a grant to help a Cambodian project clearing land mines and unexploded bombs days after the freeze on payments by USAID to its partners had forced it to suspend work, the head of the group said. Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 8 Feb. 2025 For most movies, becoming the villain of their respective Oscars season is like stepping on a land mine. Nate Jones, Vulture, 7 Feb. 2025 In 1940, the British Army, fearing a German invasion, buried thousands of land mines along the coast. IEEE Spectrum, 8 Jan. 2025 The Louisiana Republican, who served as vice chair of the House GOP conference, has traversed a number of land mines since receiving the gavel, including votes to send aid to Ukraine, reauthorize the U.S.’s warrantless spying powers, and fund the government. Mychael Schnell, The Hill, 9 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for land mine

Word History

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of land mine was in 1890

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Land mine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/land%20mine. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.

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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!