accident waiting to happen

noun

A thing or situation which is almost certain to eventually lead to an accident.

“Someone needs to repair that worn-out old bridge. It's an accident waiting to happen!”

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Meanings

nounaccident waiting to happen (plural accidents waiting to happen)

plural accidents waiting to happen

  1. idiomaticA thing or situation which is almost certain to eventually lead to an accident.

    Someone needs to repair that worn-out old bridge. It's an accident waiting to happen!

    1 more example

    Maguire looked totally devoid of confidence, a lost soul and an accident waiting to happen, which it eventually did.

    2020 October 14, Phil McNulty, “England 0-1 Denmark: 'Harry Maguire looked devoid of confidence in Nations League loss'”, in BBC Sport

Origin

Attested 1930s.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish onnettomuus, joka odottaa tapahtumistaan
  • onnettomuus, joka odottaa tapahtumistaandangerous situation
Cite this entry
APA

accident waiting to happen. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/accident%20waiting%20to%20happen

MLA

“accident waiting to happen.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/accident%20waiting%20to%20happen. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “accident waiting to happen,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/accident%20waiting%20to%20happen.

Source: accident waiting to happen on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.