as in hot button
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Recent Examples of third rail
Three of every 10 Chicago schools sit at least half-empty, and closing or merging them remains a political third rail.
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Mila Koumpilova, ProPublica, 9 Sep. 2025
The conflict in Gaza is an obvious third rail in Hollywood right now.
—Zak Cheney-Rice, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2025
Avon is rebooting its third rail—expanding into e-commerce, retail, digital and other platforms, to form a new crucial pillar of its global omnichannel strategy.
—Dean Debiase, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2025
The third rail line project was completed on July 15, with the new track able to be used by Union Pacific and Metra trains, a Union Pacific spokesperson told The Beacon-News on Friday.
—Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for third rail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for third rail
Noun
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Coming off a 2025 where egg prices were a hot button issue after President Donald Trump promised to lower prices before being elected, the grocery staple is entering the new year at its lowest price since June 2024.—
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One hot button issue — politics — is less likely to be discussed at holiday gatherings.—
Noun
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Julian Markston has been a ticking time bomb throughout this Matlock season.—
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Tackling this ticking time bomb requires swift and decisive action—the kind America excels at.—
Noun
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This week’s incident was the spark many feared amid a growing powder keg of heightened activity by immigration authorities in Minneapolis and nationwide.—
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In the update, Cumberbatch and Colman play a seemingly perfect husband and wife with the perfect family, but underneath the façade is a powder keg of resentment and fierce competition that eventually blows.—
Noun
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Policymakers expect other flash points.—
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The controversy was the latest flash point in rural Hood County between local governments’ efforts to grow their communities economically and their citizens who want to preserve a rural quality of life.—
Cite this Entry
“Third rail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/third%20rail. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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