as in sitting duck
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Recent Examples of lightning rod
The death of Riley, a 22-year-old woman who was murdered by Jose Ibarra, an undocumented immigrant, on Feb. 22, 2024, fueled the immigration debate in the United States and became a lightning rod issue for Trump on the campaign trail.
—
Lauren Peller, ABC News, 22 Jan. 2025
Advertisement Politics Loved or hated, lawmaker Scott Wiener is a lightning rod who could make history
April 27, 2023
Come January, Republicans will control the White House and both chambers of Congress.
—Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times, 22 Dec. 2024
In recent years, CRT has become a lightning rod for Republicans, including Trump, who hang their arguments on a nebulous definition of the theory.
—Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY, 29 Jan. 2025
In recent years, DEI has become a social and political lightning rod for lawmakers, corporate leaders and conservative activists who have sought to cast such initiatives as unfair and even racist, with some emboldened by the Supreme Court’s gutting of affirmative action.
—Nicquel Terry Ellis, CNN, 22 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lightning rod
Lauren Peller, ABC News, 22 Jan. 2025
Advertisement Politics Loved or hated, lawmaker Scott Wiener is a lightning rod who could make history
April 27, 2023
Come January, Republicans will control the White House and both chambers of Congress.
—Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times, 22 Dec. 2024
In recent years, CRT has become a lightning rod for Republicans, including Trump, who hang their arguments on a nebulous definition of the theory.
—Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY, 29 Jan. 2025
In recent years, DEI has become a social and political lightning rod for lawmakers, corporate leaders and conservative activists who have sought to cast such initiatives as unfair and even racist, with some emboldened by the Supreme Court’s gutting of affirmative action.
—Nicquel Terry Ellis, CNN, 22 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lightning rod
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lightning rod
Noun
-
To the Mach 4 missiles, capable of taking out jets maneuvering at high speed , a Shahed is a sitting duck.—
David Hambling,
Forbes,
28 Feb. 2025
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This sitting duck would be another victim in the submarine’s reign of terror.—
Sean Kingsley,
Smithsonian Magazine,
18 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Once more, Turkey seems to have become a whipping boy for all manner of interests, some of which have little to do with the realities of Turkey itself.—
Hugh Pope,
Foreign Affairs,
21 Oct. 2010
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The Republicans and their puppet master, Donald Trump, are ginning up the machine against immigration and making Mayorkas their whipping boy for chaos at the border.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
18 Apr. 2024
Noun
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Five, including their target, were hospitalized, prosecutors said.—
John Annese,
New York Daily News,
6 Mar. 2025
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De Sousa, a Terps recruiting target, played sparingly at Kansas before transferring to Chattanooga.—
Sam Cohn,
Baltimore Sun,
6 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The victim, identified as Jhoser Sanchez, later died in the hospital.—
Escher Walcott,
People.com,
4 Mar. 2025
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Reporters, family members of Sigmon's victims and his lawyer will view the execution inside the same building used for all executions over the past 35 years, although prison officials say the glass separating the witness room from the death chamber is now bulletproof.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
4 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Of course, most of the action over at Vula centered around the Beware Advantage that Sai located, which led to a cryptogram puzzle involving animals, colors, letters, and the butt doctor’s unscrambling skills.—
Dalton Ross,
EW.com,
27 Feb. 2025
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Grab one ankle and gently pull your heel back toward your butt.—
Margaret Cirino,
NPR,
22 Feb. 2025
Noun
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For animals like dogs, cats, and monkeys, ear movement helps track sounds, which is crucial for detecting predators or prey.—
Clarissa Brincat,
Popular Science,
27 Feb. 2025
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Both types of bass are highly efficient apex predators that hunt down baitfish and other prey.—
Derek Horner,
Outdoor Life,
27 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lightning rod.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lightning%20rod. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.
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