Thesaurus results for POWDER KEG

powder keg

noun

Definition of powder keg

as in volcano

a potentially explosive place or situation the immigration bill has become a political powder keg for legislators on both sides of the aisle

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Recent Examples of powder keg Of course, the wedding turns into a powder keg of secrets, and the orderly proceedings blow up in the protagonists’ faces and leave a trail of emotional and physical pain. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2026 The scene isn’t just a powder keg of tension that leads to frenzied bedlam; its cynical depiction of human self-preservation is far more terrifying than any horror movie monster. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 15 June 2026 The Middle East, a global geopolitical issue since the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, and even more of a powder keg since the creation of Israel in 1948, is conflagrating once again. — Michael Khouw, CNBC, 5 Mar. 2026 However, internal conflict between the brash younger generation and the old-school leadership threatens to set a match to this powder keg, which will sweep the Westies into the FBI’s ever-deepening investigation into the Italian mafia. — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 17 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for powder keg

Recent Examples of Synonyms for powder keg

volcano

Noun

Its dormant volcano, known as the Quill, dominates the southern part of the island.

— R. Grant Gilmore III, The Conversation, 30 June 2026
The breakthrough was announced in a press conference at the Biblioteca Nazionale di Napoli Vittorio Emanuele III, just 40 miles away from the famous volcano, on Thursday, June 25, by researchers working on the Vesuvius Challenge.

— Adam England, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026

Definition of volcano

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powdering

powder keg

powder kegs

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“Powder keg.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/powder%20keg. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of powder keg

noun

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