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.
It was a powder keg waiting to blow.
From Barron's ● Mar. 5, 2026
In 1768 King George III filled Boston with armed troops, creating a powder keg; in two years the spark of a single rifle shot would explode the Boston Massacre.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 27, 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
I heard stomping on the back porch, and Tag came inside followed by a short man shaped like a powder keg.
From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam
