third rail
noun
1
: a metal rail through which electric current is led to the motors of an electric vehicle (such as a subway car)
2
: a controversial issue usually avoided by politicians
Examples of third rail in a Sentence
Social Security is the third rail of American politics.
Recent Examples on the Web
But cutting entitlements is also the third rail of American politics.
—
Erin Doherty, Axios, 4 Dec. 2024
Failures of the overhead catenary wires — the power lines that function much like the third rail on a subway — have been a regular occurrence on the rail line in recent months.
—Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 2 Dec. 2024
Immigration has become a third rail in American politics, with lawmakers unwilling to tackle the basic problems plaguing our immigration system.
—Gary Shapiro, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2024
Yet reining them in has proved to be a political third rail.
—Gordon Adams, Foreign Affairs, 1 Jan. 2010
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Erin Doherty, Axios, 4 Dec. 2024
Failures of the overhead catenary wires — the power lines that function much like the third rail on a subway — have been a regular occurrence on the rail line in recent months.
—Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 2 Dec. 2024
Immigration has become a third rail in American politics, with lawmakers unwilling to tackle the basic problems plaguing our immigration system.
—Gary Shapiro, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2024
Yet reining them in has proved to be a political third rail.
—Gordon Adams, Foreign Affairs, 1 Jan. 2010
See all Example Sentences for third rail
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Cite this Entry
“Third rail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/third%20rail. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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