time bomb

noun

1
: a bomb so made as to explode at a predetermined time
2
: something with a potentially dangerous or detrimental delayed reaction

Examples of time bomb in a Sentence

He's a time bomb getting ready to explode. If we don't do something about the pollution problem, we'll be sitting on a ticking time bomb.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Most of them are unable to return home, and now face a ticking time bomb of uncertainty and fear, unsure of what the future holds. Juan Wulff, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024 What to watch: How many other compounding ratchet time bombs are out there in unicorn-land, and if that is what finally unclogs the IPO pipeline. Dan Primack, Axios, 2 Dec. 2024 The options available to policymakers to address growing anxiety over that demographic time bomb, however, don’t look good. Jason Ma, Fortune Europe, 14 Oct. 2024 Athena’s husband’s problems are a little less of a ticking time bomb, but equally contrived. Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for time bomb 

Word History

First Known Use

1893, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of time bomb was in 1893

Dictionary Entries Near time bomb

Cite this Entry

“Time bomb.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/time%20bomb. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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