powder keg
noun
1
: a small usually metal cask for holding gunpowder or blasting powder
2
: something liable to explode
Examples of powder keg in a Sentence
Political instability has made the region a powder keg.
the immigration bill has become a political powder keg for legislators on both sides of the aisle
Recent Examples on the Web
Her fluffy, frivolous style works well for Isla, who is a giggly pretty princess most of the time but a powder keg of anger when threatened.
—
Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 28 Feb. 2025
That song is a powder keg, a dynamic storehouse of raw, undiluted energy.
—Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
Egypt is a regional lynchpin containing a potential powder keg of radical sentiment that if detonated would ricochet around the region, puncturing European and US interests.
—Nic Robertson, CNN, 5 Feb. 2025
Things may have been all fun and games (literally) for a few months, but Yellowjackets' camp is a powder keg of teen hormones, power hunger and religious drama ready to explode.
—Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for powder keg
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Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 28 Feb. 2025
That song is a powder keg, a dynamic storehouse of raw, undiluted energy.
—Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
Egypt is a regional lynchpin containing a potential powder keg of radical sentiment that if detonated would ricochet around the region, puncturing European and US interests.
—Nic Robertson, CNN, 5 Feb. 2025
Things may have been all fun and games (literally) for a few months, but Yellowjackets' camp is a powder keg of teen hormones, power hunger and religious drama ready to explode.
—Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for powder keg
Cite this Entry
“Powder keg.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/powder%20keg. Accessed 5 Mar. 2025.
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