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• first strike
  first strike

  noun

  the initial use of nuclear weapons in a conflict, in which the attacker tries to destroy the adversary's strategic nuclear forces.
• first-strike
  first-strike

  adjective

  (of a nuclear missile) intended for use in an opening attack calculated to destroy the enemy's nuclear weapons

first strike

American  

noun

1. the initial use of nuclear weapons in a conflict, in which the attacker tries to destroy the adversary's strategic nuclear forces.

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first-strike British  

adjective

1. (of a nuclear missile) intended for use in an opening attack calculated to destroy the enemy's nuclear weapons

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Etymology

Origin of first strike

First recorded in 1960–65

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

first strike first-strike

The first strike on April 8 hit a higher floor in El Bizri’s building, which was showing its age.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026

Since the union’s first strike in 2023, members’ average salary will have increased 54%, Arias said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 15, 2026

Buck Turgidson, one of the film’s most memorable characters, while agitating the president in the war room for a first strike against the Soviet Union.

From Salon ● Mar. 10, 2026

Footage of the first strike has already been released.

From BBC ● Dec. 4, 2025

She dodged my first strike and rolled into the brass section, knocking over a row of trombones with a mighty crash.

From "The Battle of the Labyrinth" by Rick Riordan

Sabalenka's preference for first-strike tennis - quickly getting on top of a rally with aggressive shots from the baseline - was not suited to the conditions, and she did not adjust.

From BBC ● Jun. 3, 2026

And over the past year, the North has enshrined its nuclear capability in its laws and started talking about its first-strike capabilities, rather than casting its arsenal as purely defensive.

From New York Times ● Apr. 26, 2023

His game, Jackson assured, will be on display soon, the cornerback suggesting that a first-strike approach will lead to increased production.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2022

His 50.9% first-strike percentage entering was 155th among 157 pitchers who faced 150 or more plate appearances this season.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 25, 2022

Fearing a first-strike nuclear attack by the United States, the Soviet Union resolved not to let its guard down.

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau

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