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Synonyms

time bomb

American  

noun

  1. a bomb constructed so as to explode at a certain time.

  2. a situation, condition, etc., resembling such a bomb in having disastrous consequences in the future.

time bomb British  

noun

  1. a bomb containing a timing mechanism that determines the time at which it will detonate

  2. a situation which, if allowed to continue, will develop into a serious problem

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
time bomb Idioms  

  1. A situation that threatens to have disastrous consequences at some future time, as in That departmental dispute is a time bomb just waiting to go off. This term alludes to an explosive device that is set to go off at a specific time. [First half of 1900s]

Etymology

Origin of time bomb

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"This is an ecological ticking time bomb," said Nina Noelle, of Greenpeace Germany, who has been mapping oil tankers in the region.

From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026

But being around them is a ticking time bomb.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 2, 2026

Read: Why copper is a ‘ticking time bomb for explosive price action’

From MarketWatch • Dec. 2, 2025

As MacGruber, a riff on the equal parts cheesy and crafty ’80s television hero MacGyver, Forte attempted to diffuse a ticking time bomb while being distracted by the possible release of the Epstein files.

From Salon • Nov. 16, 2025

She and Father Rico seem to see bioengineered plants as a time bomb, much like the Aureus epidemic.

From "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary E. Pearson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.