ticking time bomb
Disaster waiting patiently
A ticking time bomb is something that will inevitably cause serious problems if not addressed—a situation, condition, or person building toward crisis: The national debt is a ticking time bomb, His untreated anger was a ticking time bomb.
The image comes from bombs with mechanical timers counting down to detonation.
The phrase emphasizes both certainty and urgency.
- explosiveProne to sudden detonation
- powder kegVolatile, dangerous situation
- countdownBackward enumeration to zero
- detonatorExplosive initiation device
- fuseProtective melting wire
urgent · imminent · on the brink · point of no return · crisis · danger · disaster waiting to happen · pressure · under pressure · stress · volatile · unstable · breaking point · deadline · catastrophe · nuclear option · explosion · warning
- conflictclash, fight, war, battle, dispute
- chaos idiomsall hell breaks loose, pandemonium, madhouse, circus, bedlam
- metaphorsbroken heart, dead metaphor, mixed metaphor, extended metaphor, life journey
ticking time bombsafe bet
Likely winning wager
sure thing · steady state · safe harbor · bedrock · firm ground
ticking time bombsilver lining
Consolation within misfortune
blessing in disguise · saving grace · beacon of hope · ray of sunshine · healing process
tick, ticks, ticked, ticking, ticker, time, times, timed, timing