atomic age

American  

noun

1. the period in history initiated by the first use of the atomic bomb and characterized by atomic energy as a military, political, and industrial factor.

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atomic age British  

noun

1. the current historical period, initiated by the development of the first atomic bomb towards the end of World War II and now marked by a balance of power between nations possessing the hydrogen bomb and the use of nuclear power as a source of energy

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Etymology

Origin of atomic age

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

atomic age

The atomic age made it potentially life-ending for humanity.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 24, 2026

For a secular atomic age, writers who met such extraterrestrials placed them in the same role as God: bearing an unimpeachable command that transcended politics and nation and had to be obeyed.

From Slate ● Sep. 11, 2023

Looking forward to how this show navigates the atomic age and the dark side of the moon.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 1, 2023

"Her reign saw the dawn of the atomic age, the age of the internet, the fall of the Soviet Union, an unprecedented global pandemic," Schumer remembered.

From Salon ● Sep. 9, 2022

Crucial meeting of the atomic age, September 22, 1941.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik