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Synonyms

burning question

Idioms  
  1. An urgent or crucial issue under heated discussion. For example, Real estate taxes are always a burning question for the town leaders. This term has exact equivalents in French (question brûlante) and German (brennende Frage). [Mid-1800s]


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Travelers hunt for regional souvenirs, soothe their homesickness and investigate a burning question: Is the hot dog different?

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 22, 2026

A burning question now is, when will the court rule?

From MarketWatch • Dec. 15, 2025

OK, so maybe it’s not a burning question.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 5, 2025

Everyone, from regular Koreans to world leaders, was left with the same burning question:

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2025

He did have one burning question, however, that he simply could not hold in.

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman

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