nuclear power

American  

[noo-klee-er pou-er, nyoo-] / ˈnu kli ər ˈpaʊ ər, ˈnju- /

noun

1. power derived from nuclear energy.

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nuclear power British  

noun

1. Also called: atomic power.  power, esp electrical or motive, produced by a nuclear reactor

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nuclear power Cultural  

1. The electrical power generated by a nuclear reactor.

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Pronunciation

See nuclear ( def. ).

Etymology

Origin of nuclear power

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

Nuclear power is consistent and is already a major source of clean energy in the U.S., preventing hundreds of millions of metric tons of emissions annually.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

Nuclear power, personal computing, automation, reproductive medicine and supply-chain logistics are just a few areas this show explores.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

"Nuclear power is getting much more expensive than they ever thought it would," says Koppenborg.

From BBC • Jan. 21, 2026

Nuclear power has received a surge of attention, with Meta most recently announcing plans to secure up to 6.6 gigawatts of nuclear energy.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 17, 2026

Nuclear power plants also use this process—they boil water to create steam that turns turbines.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland

Related Words

• atomic energy