demographic timebomb
C1Formal / Journalistic / Academic
Definition
Meaning
A future crisis predicted due to unfavourable population structure changes, especially an aging population and falling birth rate.
A metaphorical term describing a looming societal or economic disaster caused by demographic shifts, such as too few young workers supporting too many retired elderly, leading to strain on pension systems, healthcare, and economic growth.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term is almost exclusively used metaphorically; it is not a literal explosive device. It implies inevitability and a future point of crisis if no action is taken.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. The spelling 'time bomb' is occasionally 'timebomb' (one word) in the UK, but 'time bomb' (two words) is more standard in both. The compound is more frequent in UK media.
Connotations
Equally negative and alarming in both varieties.
Frequency
Moderately low frequency term in both, slightly more common in UK/Commonwealth media discussing public policy.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Country/Region] faces/is facing a demographic time bomb.The demographic time bomb is ticking.to defuse/tackle/address the demographic time bomb.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The clock is ticking on the demographic time bomb.”
- “A ticking time bomb (broader idiom, can be applied).”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in reports about future labour shortages, increased pension costs, and shrinking consumer markets.
Academic
Common in sociology, economics, and public policy papers analysing long-term population trends.
Everyday
Rare in casual conversation. Might appear in news discussions or documentaries.
Technical
Used in demography, actuarial science, and long-range economic forecasting.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- The country's demographic time bomb problem requires immediate policy action.
American English
- Policymakers are studying demographic time bomb scenarios for the next decade.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Some countries have a problem with an aging population.
- Economists warn that the aging population could become a serious economic problem in the future.
- Many developed nations are grappling with the ticking demographic time bomb of a shrinking workforce and growing retired population.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a bomb with a timer labelled 'RETIREMENT' ticking down as the number of newborn babies falls year by year.
Conceptual Metaphor
A FUTURE PROBLEM IS A TICKING BOMB (implying hidden danger, inevitability, and a need for urgent defusal).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calques like 'демографическая бомба с часовым механизмом'. The standard equivalent is 'демографическая бомба' (без 'time').
- The concept is often rendered as 'демографическая проблема' or 'старение населения' which are less metaphorical.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'demography time bomb' (should be 'demographic').
- Incorrect: using it for immediate, non-population-related crises.
- Incorrect: 'demographic timebomb' as a verb (e.g., 'The country is demographic timebombing').
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary concern implied by the term 'demographic time bomb'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily yes, in current usage. It can theoretically refer to other unsustainable demographic structures, but it is overwhelmingly used for aging societies with low birth rates.
No, it is exclusively used to warn of a negative, impending crisis. A positive demographic trend would be called a 'demographic dividend' or 'bonus'.
'Population aging' is a neutral, descriptive term for the process. 'Demographic time bomb' is a metaphorical, alarmist term that emphasizes the catastrophic potential consequences of that process if unaddressed.
No, it is a journalistic and political term. Professional demographers use more precise, less metaphorical language like 'population aging', 'low fertility', 'old-age dependency ratio', etc.