lightning rod

noun

1

: a grounded metallic rod set up on a structure (such as a building) to protect it from lightning

2

: one that serves to divert attack from another

3

: one that is a frequent target of criticism or focus of controversy

she has become a convenient lightning rod for voters' discontent with law-and-order issues

—Aric Press et al.

Examples of lightning rod in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Lil Wayne being overlooked for the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show for Kendrick Lamar became a lightning rod for conversation within hip-hop circles. —Michael Saponara, Billboard, 18 Oct. 2024

Garland’s memo became a lightning rod for conservative lawmakers who held hearings asking whether prosecutors and the FBI were targeting parents for voicing their concerns. —Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 7 Oct. 2024

But because these cards were so expensive and so highly sought-after, their banning became a lightning rod for players aggrieved that their decks were no longer legal to play or their investments were now useless. —Ash Parrish, The Verge, 3 Oct. 2024

Immigrants have become a lightning rod for frustrations supercharged by a continent-wide inflation and cost-of-living crisis. —Alexander Smith, NBC News, 28 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1770, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

lightning rod

noun

: a metal rod set up on a building or a ship and connected with the earth or water below to decrease the chances of damage from lightning