as in volcano
a potentially explosive place or situation
the region's political instability has turned it into a ticking time bomb
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Recent Examples of time bomb
There’s a great deal of tension going on because there’s a ticking time bomb element to it, but there’s also a desire for Frank to want to take River with him.
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Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Oct. 2024
Liam’s family members called him something else: a time bomb about to explode.
—Ames Alexander, Charlotte Observer, 27 Feb. 2025
Coincidentally, Japan’s population peaked in 2011, so don’t give me this demographic time bomb narrative.
—Brendan Ahern, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
Doug is a ticking time bomb …on several levels, probably.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for time bomb
Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Oct. 2024
Liam’s family members called him something else: a time bomb about to explode.
—Ames Alexander, Charlotte Observer, 27 Feb. 2025
Coincidentally, Japan’s population peaked in 2011, so don’t give me this demographic time bomb narrative.
—Brendan Ahern, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
Doug is a ticking time bomb …on several levels, probably.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for time bomb
Cite this Entry
“Time bomb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/time%20bomb. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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