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 And instead of a bus that’s trying to outrun its own ticking time bomb, Paxton and Hunt’s storm-chaser characters doggedly pursue immensely powerful tornadoes that destroy everything in their ever-changing path. Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 July 2024 That clock ticking on our border policy impasse could turn into a terrorism time bomb, David Ignatius warns. Drew Goins, Washington Post, 27 June 2024 In his third-floor room at the Baltimore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, McNamara hunkered over three simple time bombs. Christopher Goffard, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2024 An encryption system that relies on a top-secret proprietary algorithm is a ticking time bomb. PCMAG, 25 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for time bomb 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'time bomb.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near time bomb

Cite this Entry

“Time bomb.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/time%20bomb. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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