as in sitting duck
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Recent Examples of lightning rod
Between the lines: The debate over the role of natural gas has becoming a political lightning rod in the 2024 election, which could hinge on winning the gas-rich battleground state of Pennsylvania.
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Daniel Moore, Axios, 23 Sep. 2024
The Campus boot has become a lightning rod for conversations—or more accurately, arguments—between consumers who claim to have the moral high ground about fashion’s waste problem and its lack of inclusivity.
—Sam Reed, Glamour, 31 Oct. 2024
Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa share custody of most of December; Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July have become, for some, political lightning rods.
—Kate Lindsay, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2024
This pattern should sound familiar to anyone who has followed various pop stars’ rocky roads to the top in recent years, none more intense than the journey of nascent superstar and internet lightning rod Chappell Roan.
—Hazlitt, 23 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for lightning rod 
Daniel Moore, Axios, 23 Sep. 2024
The Campus boot has become a lightning rod for conversations—or more accurately, arguments—between consumers who claim to have the moral high ground about fashion’s waste problem and its lack of inclusivity.
—Sam Reed, Glamour, 31 Oct. 2024
Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa share custody of most of December; Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July have become, for some, political lightning rods.
—Kate Lindsay, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2024
This pattern should sound familiar to anyone who has followed various pop stars’ rocky roads to the top in recent years, none more intense than the journey of nascent superstar and internet lightning rod Chappell Roan.
—Hazlitt, 23 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for lightning rod
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lightning rod
Noun
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Servicemembers are also sitting ducks, transporting fuel trucks in war zones, so reducing fuel needs could save their lives.Joan Michelson, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2024
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Intercepts have been easy because the scout drones are sitting ducks.David Hambling, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Once more, Turkey seems to have become a whipping boy for all manner of interests, some of which have little to do with the realities of Turkey itself.Hugh Pope, Foreign Affairs, 21 Oct. 2010
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The Republicans and their puppet master, Donald Trump, are ginning up the machine against immigration and making Mayorkas their whipping boy for chaos at the border.New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 18 Apr. 2024
Noun
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The Dnipropetrovsk region has been a frequent target of Russian bombardment in recent months.Catherine Nicholls, CNN, 22 Nov. 2024
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Adair argues, though, that the case should serve as a broader warning about cybersecurity threats to Wi-Fi for high-value targets—and not just from the usual suspects loitering in the parking lot or the lobby.Andy Greenberg, WIRED, 22 Nov. 2024
Noun
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In this instance, the victim’s family can file a wrongful death claim.Nia Bowers, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
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Michelle Pleasant, an Irvington resident and co-organizer of Safe Routes to School Irvington, became an advocate after Crutchfield’s death, working with the victim's mother.Daryl Perry, The Indianapolis Star, 21 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The game became the butt of jokes and a slew of memes for its hilarious visual glitches, a legacy that leaves Epler feeling torn.George Yang, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2024
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While Josie and Saldaña's character, Joe, initially butt heads, the actresses share a friendly bond in real life.JP Mangalindan, People.com, 28 Oct. 2024
Noun
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The regulation became necessary when the number of whales near the coast spiked after a marine heat wave from 2014 to 2018 apparently pushed their prey – such as sardines and anchovies – closer to shore, and the humpbacks followed.Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY, 1 Nov. 2024
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This suggests the influence of other factors, such as the emergence of coral reefs and changes in prey availability, which could have driven the evolutionary trajectory of sharks.Melissa Cristina Marquez, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near lightning rod
Cite this Entry
“Lightning rod.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lightning%20rod. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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