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 The ticking sound in capitals around the world is a demographic time bomb – of a sort unimaginable only a couple of generations ago. Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Oct. 2024 Is a crisis inevitable? DC: One thing that is perhaps comforting is that there’s no ticking time bomb. Andy Mills, Quartz, 16 Oct. 2024 Furthermore, any machine powered by a lithium-ion battery could potentially be a miniature time bomb and, therefore, is now suspect. Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2024 But Biden and his team should emphasize that a road map away from the ticking time bomb of absolute monarchy is the only way to ensure both the stability of Saudi Arabia and the survival of its royal family. Madawi Al-Rasheed, Foreign Affairs, 15 Mar. 2021 See all Example Sentences for time bomb 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'time bomb.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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 5 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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