nuclear

adjective

nu·cle·ar ˈnü-klē-ər

ˈnyü-

nonstandard -kyə-lər

Synonyms of nuclear next

: of, relating to, or constituting a nucleus

annexation of the suburban fringe by the nuclear metropolis—

W. H. Wickwar

: of or relating to the atomic nucleus

nuclear reaction

nuclear physics

: used in or produced by a nuclear reaction (such as fission)

nuclear fuel

nuclear waste

nuclear energy

c(1)

: being a weapon whose destructive power derives from an uncontrolled nuclear reaction

(2)

: of, produced by, or involving nuclear weapons

the nuclear age

nuclear war

(3)

: armed with nuclear weapons

nuclear powers

: of, relating to, or powered by nuclear energy

a nuclear submarine

the nuclear debate

a nuclear plant

How do you pronounce nuclear?: Usage Guide

Though disapproved of by many, pronunciations ending in \-kyə-lər\ have been found in widespread use among educated speakers including scientists, lawyers, professors, congressmen, U.S. cabinet members, and at least two U.S. presidents and one vice president. While most common in the U.S., these pronunciations have also been heard from British and Canadian speakers.

Phrases

go nuclear

informal

: to become wildly excited or upset : go berserk

To say the crowd went wild is an understatement. The crowd went nuclear. Outside the stadium, cars were overturned and fires were set. We sportswriters huddled inside, fearing for our lives.—

Tony Kornheiser

Examples of nuclear in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Three Mile Island was shut down in 1979 after a partial meltdown in one of its reactors that remains the most significant nuclear accident in U.S. history. —

Paolo Confino, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2024 Yes, but: Energy regulators are still navigating the recent wave of deals between nuclear plants and data centers, and some worry that the tie-ups could threaten grid reliability and raise utility bills. —

Katie Fehrenbacher, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024 The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said one of the cooling towers had been attacked but insisted there were no concerns about nuclear safety. —

Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024 As part of that second phase, the West might ask Ukraine to forswear nuclear weapons. —

Richard Haass, Foreign Affairs, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for nuclear