powder keg

noun

A barrel containing gunpowder.

“powder keg of Europe (term describing the unstable state of the Balkans before World War I)”

Similar
tinderbox
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nounpowder keg (plural powder kegs)

plural powder kegs · alternative powderkeg

  1. A barrel containing gunpowder.

    Synonyms: tinderbox

  2. figurativelyAn explosive or otherwise volatile situation.

    powder keg of Europe (term describing the unstable state of the Balkans before World War I)

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA barrel containing gunpowder.

Similar
tinderbox
Also see
tinderbox

Translations

Basque bolborategi
  • bolborategibarrel of gun powder
Chinese Mandarin 火藥桶 /火药桶, 火藥桶 /火药桶
  • 火藥桶 /火药桶 (huǒyàotǒng)barrel of gun powder
  • 火藥桶 /火药桶 (huǒyàotǒng)volatile situation
Danish krudttønde, tønde krudt
  • krudttøndebarrel of gun powder
  • tønde krudtbarrel of gun powder
  • krudttøndevolatile situation
Finnish ruutitynnyri, ruutitynnyri
  • ruutitynnyribarrel of gun powder
  • ruutitynnyrivolatile situation
French poudrière, poudrière
  • poudrièrebarrel of gun powder
  • poudrièrevolatile situation
German Pulverfass, Pulverfass
  • Pulverfassbarrel of gun powder
  • Pulverfassvolatile situation
Hungarian puskaporos hordó
  • puskaporos hordóbarrel of gun powder
Icelandic púðurtunna, púðurtunna
  • púðurtunnabarrel of gun powder
  • púðurtunnavolatile situation
Italian polveriera, polveriera
  • polverierabarrel of gun powder
  • polverieravolatile situation
Polish beczka prochu, beczka prochu
  • beczka prochubarrel of gun powder
  • beczka prochuvolatile situation
Portuguese barril de pólvora
  • barril de pólvorabarrel of gun powder
Russian порохова́я бо́чка, порохова́я бо́чка
  • порохова́я бо́чка (poroxovája bóčka)barrel of gun powder
  • порохова́я бо́чка (poroxovája bóčka)volatile situation
Spanish polvorín, polvorín
  • polvorínbarrel of gun powder
  • polvorínvolatile situation
Swedish kruttunna, krutdurk
  • kruttunnabarrel of gun powder
  • krutdurkvolatile situation
Turkish barut fıçısı
  • barut fıçısıbarrel of gun powder
Ukrainian бочка для пороху, порохова́ бо́чка
  • бочка для пороху (bočka dlja poroxu)barrel of gun powder
  • порохова́ бо́чка (poroxová bóčka)volatile situation
Cite this entry
APA

powder keg. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/powder%20keg

MLA

“powder keg.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/powder%20keg. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “powder keg,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/powder%20keg.

Source: powder keg on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.