time bomb

noun

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

Synonyms of time bomb

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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Furthermore, the failure to understand how dark-side behaviors undermine psychological safety and collective judgment in day-to-day decision-making contributes to the ticking time bomb problem noted earlier. Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026 And as the population continues to age, hundreds of millions could soon be leaving the workforce — a demographic crisis and ticking time bomb in one. Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 21 Jan. 2026 The ticking time bomb of tariff tensions was not fully diffused, however. Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 21 Jan. 2026 Julian Markston has been a ticking time bomb throughout this Matlock season. Noel Murray, Vulture, 12 Dec. 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Time bomb.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/time%20bomb. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.

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