powder keg

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

This in exchange for quickly ignored sanctions, making Iran the powder keg that it was before Feb. 28.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

It was a powder keg waiting to blow.

From Barron's • Mar. 5, 2026

On Monday morning, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche described the situation as a "powder keg".

From BBC • Jan. 26, 2026

For Crudup, Timothy isn’t a bitter powder keg but a man looking for a little closure, someone who has made peace with the past until the moment he doesn’t get the apology he’s expecting.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 7, 2025

Claudette had lit the fuse to a powder keg of protest, but her rebellion had caught black Montgomery by surprise.

From "Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice" by Phillip Hoose