land mine

noun

Definition of land minenext
as in hitch
a danger or difficulty that is hidden or not easily recognized parents of teenagers never know when they might set off an emotional land mine

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 land mine His Minderoo Foundation—named for the cattle ranch of his childhood—has since given about $28 million to Ukraine’s schools and agricultural projects, and to clearing land mines. — Vivienne Walt, Fortune, 23 Sep. 2026 More than any other sports league, the WNBA is fraught with land mines that are ready to explode whenever a Black woman — like, Alyssa Thomas — commits a hard foul on, say, the league’s most visible star, Caitlin Clark. — Candace Buckner, New York Times, 27 July 2026 The younger Modrić’s childhood home in the village of Jasenice was abandoned and remains so to this day, with signs warning visitors of land mines in the area. — Sanat Pai Raikar, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 June 2026 The zombie commission was one of the final land mines Adams left behind for his successor. — Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 28 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for land mine
Recent Examples of Synonyms for land mine
  1. hitch
  2. risk
  3. snag
  4. booby trap
Noun
  • Beil says the two are talking to Hatch about hosting the show there long-term, but there is one hitch.
    — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Taking a quick step back, Madsen found freshman receiver Rasean Jones on a quick hitch down the left sideline — and enough for the first down.
    — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of hitch
Noun
  • The spread over Germany's 10-year Bunds peaked at more than 177 basis points a day later, amid concerns about spillover risks elsewhere in Europe.
    — Hugh Leask, CNBC, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The album’s greatest risk is that its devotion becomes indistinguishable from its own self-importance.
    — Emma Madden, Pitchfork, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of risk
Noun
  • Pinch-runner Cedric Mullins replaced Caminero before DeLuca, who had made sparkling catches to deny Yelich in the third and William Contreras in the fourth, hit a grounder past the mound as Drohan tried in vain to make a behind-the-back snag.
    — Ronald Blum, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026
  • New Denim had a tighter weave to resist snags and tears and was stronger and more durable than other denim, yet still pliable and comfortable.
    — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of snag
Noun
  • Four years later, Kaczynski started adding booby traps around his cabin, and throughout the 1980s, he was accused by his neighbors of poisoning their dogs, The New York Times reported in 1999.
    — Katie Mather, PEOPLE, 28 Sep. 2026
  • In the meantime, his insatiable paranoia will be exacerbated by the missing family cat, and his decision to let the alarm company booby trap the house with fog bombs will literally blow up in his face.
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of booby trap

Browse Nearby Words

landmasses
land mine
land mines
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Cite this Entry

“Land mine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/land%20mine. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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