Meaning & use
tripwire
A thin wire stretched close to the ground that triggers a trap or alarm when disturbed.
See it in a sentence
The soldiers spotted a tripwire connected to an explosive hidden in the brush.
Investors treated the debt ceiling as a tripwire that could trigger a market panic.
A note on using this word
Beyond its literal military or security sense, 'tripwire' is often used figuratively for a threshold that sets off a larger reaction.
Words with a similar meaning
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