their relationship is really volatile

[alpacinou]

Hello.

I'm looking for a way to suggest a couple's relationship / marriage is really in bad shape and it's only a matter of time before it breaks down. Can I use "ticking time-bomb"?

What do you think about these sentences?

1. Their relationship is a ticking time bomb. It's only a matter of time before it blows up.

2. Their marriage is a ticking time bomb. It's only a matter of time before it blows up.

 

[tedmc]

I wouldn't use the bomb-and-explosion metaphor to describe a failed relationship. I prefer shaky, precarious, on the rocks.

 

[GoesStation]

They both work very well.

 

[Skrej]

While the expression itself is natural enough, I don't like repeating 'time' back-to-back. If you just said 'ticking bomb' in the first sentence, that would still imply it's on a countdown without actually having to repeat the word 'time'.

 

[GoesStation]

What's a "ticking bomb"? I think it has to be a "time bomb".

 

[Tdol]

Volatile works fine.

 

[PeterCW]

"Ticking bomb" is perfectly natural and refers to the timer on a bomb counting down, this is an image from many movies with scenes where bombs are defused.