1
as in volcano
a potentially explosive place or situation
officials sought to calm the situation, which had grown into a tinderbox
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in crisis
a time or state of affairs requiring prompt or decisive action
while the country's prime minister was meeting with the U.S. president, a political tinderbox was igniting at home
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of tinderbox
The former Soviet space remains a tinderbox, still reckoning with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, which should be thought of not as an event but as a process, as the historian Serhii Plokhy has aptly put it.
—
Michael Kofman, Foreign Affairs, 19 Oct. 2021
Ironically, the seasonal drought that had turned Los Angeles County into a tinderbox kept many reptiles and amphibians safe initially.
—Anton Sorokin, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Feb. 2025
This was the moment of all-encompassing, high-stakes political stances, in which people looked out to see good always fighting evil — the far right taking up its tiki torches or antifa roving the streets — and culture turned into a perpetual tinderbox.
—Ross Barkan, New York Times, 25 Jan. 2025
May said climate change has contributed to periods of heavy rain — which causes plant life to grow — followed by extended periods of drought — which dries those plants out, turning them into perfect fire fuel, leading Southern California to its current tinderbox state.
—Andrew Sheeler, Sacramento Bee, 10 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tinderbox
Michael Kofman, Foreign Affairs, 19 Oct. 2021
Ironically, the seasonal drought that had turned Los Angeles County into a tinderbox kept many reptiles and amphibians safe initially.
—Anton Sorokin, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Feb. 2025
This was the moment of all-encompassing, high-stakes political stances, in which people looked out to see good always fighting evil — the far right taking up its tiki torches or antifa roving the streets — and culture turned into a perpetual tinderbox.
—Ross Barkan, New York Times, 25 Jan. 2025
May said climate change has contributed to periods of heavy rain — which causes plant life to grow — followed by extended periods of drought — which dries those plants out, turning them into perfect fire fuel, leading Southern California to its current tinderbox state.
—Andrew Sheeler, Sacramento Bee, 10 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tinderbox
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tinderbox
Noun
-
Flowers cascade gracefully from the trellis lining the breezeway that connects the charming lobby to the pool and garden, where picture perfect views of the region’s most iconic volcanoes await.—
Rachel Fletcher,
Architectural Digest,
20 Feb. 2025
-
A week of spectacular lava sprays on Sicily’s Mount Etna, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, has drawn thousands of people.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN,
19 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
As the government scrambles, President Evelyn Mitchell (Angela Bassett) enlists former President George Mullen (Robert De Niro) to lead a crisis response team dubbed the Zero Day Commission.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
4 Mar. 2025
-
The agency, along with the region’s other transit agencies, is facing a looming financial crisis once federal COVID-19 relief funding runs out in 2026 and has been pushing for more public money.—
Sarah Freishtat,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Fixes an issue where the UI display for Moze (The Hunt: Lightning) is abnormal during charge in specific situations.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
Newsweek,
26 Feb. 2025
-
Like a chameleon, the 5-foot-6 senior has the uncanny ability to adapt to any opponent, game situation or even time of year.—
Steve Reaven,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tinderbox.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tinderbox. Accessed 6 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share