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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For much of the film, that enticing idea undergirds the main plot line like a ticking time bomb. Gregory Nussen, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2025 The insurance and housing sectors are scrambling to try to get ahead of this ticking time bomb. Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2025 The plan before the PUC was first proposed last year and has been criticized as bloated and a looming fiscal time bomb for ratepayers. Judith Kohler, Denver Post, 22 Aug. 2025 The secret of Dale’s bisexuality looms like a ticking time bomb when a local gossip writer gets wind of the information. Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 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 9 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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