time bomb

noun

|Updated on: 9 Jun 2018

Examples: time bomb in a Sentence

Definition of time bomb

1 : a bomb so made as to explode at a predetermined time

2 : something with a potentially dangerous or detrimental delayed reaction

See time bomb defined for English-language learners

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 of time bomb from the Web

For example, astrophysicists modeling supernova explosions still struggle to make their virtual stellar time bombs go off.

— adrian cho, Science | AAAS, "Galaxy simulations are at last matching reality—and producing surprising insights into cosmic evolution," 30 May 2018
For a teenager with a peanut allergy, that peanut shell-littered stadium seems like a time bomb.

— casey seidenberg, chicagotribune.com, "Your kid's friend has food allergies. Here's how to host a safe play date.," 17 May 2018
The bigger picture, however, takes a back seat to Patrick's status as a walking time bomb, fumbling from one awkward situation the next, craving chemically induced relief.

— brian lowry, CNN, "Benedict Cumberbatch shines in Showtime's dark 'Patrick Melrose'," 11 May 2018
Systematic surveys, using helicopters and satellites, counted 7,000 such mounds in Yamal and Gydan and 1,350 in the Tuktoyaktuk Peninsula of northwest Canada — at that rate, there could easily be 100,000 such potential time bombs across the Arctic.

— bridget alex, Discover Magazine, "Something Stirs: What Will Happen as Permafrost Thaws?," 15 May 2018
Zimmerman would call and play recordings of police sirens, music boxes and the speeding tick-tock sound effect time bombs make in movies, Warren said.

— gal tziperman lotan, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Judge denies restraining order against George Zimmerman sought by private investigator," 14 May 2018
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, fearing the economic consequences of an aging population, has called the low birthrate a priority for his government, and has taken measures to try to solve what could be a ticking time bomb for Japan's economy.

— siobhán o'grady, Washington Post, "There have never been so few children in Japan (at least, not since they started counting)," 4 May 2018
Another time bomb in older estate plans could lurk in trusts that move assets out of the estate to future generations, called generation-skipping transfers.

— brian j. o’connor, New York Times, "Heirs Inherit Uncertainty With New Estate Tax," 23 Feb. 2018
John Buretta, an independent monitor auditing the recalls under regulators’ supervision, likened the air bags to grenades and ticking time bombs.

— mike spector, WSJ, "Senators Press Car Executives, Regulator on Explosive Air Bags," 20 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'time bomb.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of time bomb

1893

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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TIME BOMB Defined for English Language Learners

time bomb

noun

Definition of time bomb for English Language Learners

: a bomb that is set to explode at a particular moment
: a person or situation that will probably become dangerous or harmful in the future

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See words that rhyme with time bomb Spanish Central: Translation of time bomb

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