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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The sobering Social Security and Medicare reports clearly show that a fiscal time bomb is ticking. Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 11 June 2026 That is a real fiscal time bomb that could set off generational warfare in Washington. Editorial, Boston Herald, 24 May 2026 Can people avoid the ticking HSA tax time bomb? Medora Lee, USA Today, 20 May 2026 The decay of our roads and bridges in Randallstown and Owings Mills is a fiscal time bomb; every dollar saved by ignoring a pothole today becomes ten dollars in reconstruction costs tomorrow. Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 20 May 2026 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Time bomb.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/time%20bomb. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

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