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Recent Examples of third rail
Changes to Medicaid have proven contentious, and Medicare is often considered a political third rail.
—
Joseph Choi, The Hill, 5 June 2025
Centering African-American stories and characters, DuVernay’s films frequently come into contact with the third rails of American history, such as incarceration, segregation and slavery.
—Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 May 2025
Social Security is the third rail of American politics
Social Security advocates say Trump and Musk, the tech billionaire, are learning a lesson absorbed by many politicians and policy wonks before them.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2025
But that doesn’t make the subject any less the third rail for nearly everybody in the SNL orbit.
—Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for third rail
Joseph Choi, The Hill, 5 June 2025
Centering African-American stories and characters, DuVernay’s films frequently come into contact with the third rails of American history, such as incarceration, segregation and slavery.
—Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 May 2025
Social Security is the third rail of American politics
Social Security advocates say Trump and Musk, the tech billionaire, are learning a lesson absorbed by many politicians and policy wonks before them.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2025
But that doesn’t make the subject any less the third rail for nearly everybody in the SNL orbit.
—Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for third rail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for third rail
Noun
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And Chilling Take On Orwell’s Classic Novella – Annecy Animation Festival AI and generative AI is a hot button topic at Annecy this year.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
12 June 2025
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Stances on hot button topics, such as the ICE raids, didn't seem to move the needle for the more progressive or antiestablishment candidates, including Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, however.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
12 June 2025
Noun
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Krypto flying the time bomb into the sky causes an explosion that sends a plane veering out of control.—
Darren Franich,
Vulture,
16 July 2025
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The combination of financial illiteracy and problematic money management leads many to be unaware of the ticking time bombs which underlie their financial circumstances.—
Hersh Shefrin,
Forbes.com,
6 July 2025
Noun
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Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal star in the polarizing film, set in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, as a sheriff and mayor who sparks a powder keg in their small town.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
20 July 2025
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That sparks a powder keg as neighbors are pitted against each other in this New Mexico pueblo.—
Simon Thompson,
Forbes.com,
18 July 2025
Noun
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These minerals, key to electronic components and batteries, have become a new flash point in trade relations.—
Brit Morse,
Fortune,
9 July 2025
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Abrego Garcia became a flash point over President Trump’s immigration policies when he was deported in March to a notorious megaprison in El Salvador.—
Michael Kunzelman,
Los Angeles Times,
7 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Third rail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/third%20rail. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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