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
His friendship with Wash defies simplistic categorization: While sincere in feeling, its inherently untenable contradictions amount to a ticking time bomb, apparently destined to blow up in the back half of the series.
—
Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 21 July 2025
That makes today’s encryption effectively a ticking time bomb.
—David Dewalt, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
But even as markets ticked back up, the original extension of July 9 remained as a ticking time bomb.
—Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 8 July 2025
The nation faces myriad economic challenges, including deflation, local governments drowning in debt, poor consumer spending, plummeting real estate values, record youth unemployment, and a demographic time bomb.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for time bomb
Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 21 July 2025
That makes today’s encryption effectively a ticking time bomb.
—David Dewalt, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
But even as markets ticked back up, the original extension of July 9 remained as a ticking time bomb.
—Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 8 July 2025
The nation faces myriad economic challenges, including deflation, local governments drowning in debt, poor consumer spending, plummeting real estate values, record youth unemployment, and a demographic time bomb.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for time bomb
Recent Examples of Synonyms for time bomb
volcano
Noun
-
The story calls for a chorus of dancing sardines, a volcano, a villainous amoeba and more.—
Point Loma-Ob Monthly,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 Aug. 2025
-
Connolly advises viewing erupting volcanoes only by private helicopter ride.—
Robin Catalano,
Robb Report,
7 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Time bomb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/time%20bomb. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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