megaton

American  

[meg-uh-tuhn] / ˈmɛg əˌtʌn /

noun

1. one million tons.

2. an explosive force equal to that of one million tons of TNT, as that of atomic or hydrogen bombs. MT

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megaton British  

/ ˈmɛɡəˌtʌn /

noun

1. one million tons

2. mt. an explosive power, esp of a nuclear weapon, equal to the power of one million tons of TNT

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Other Word Forms

• multimegaton
  noun
• megatonic
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of megaton

First recorded in 1950–55; mega- + ton ¹

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Compare meaning

How does megaton compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• megaton vs. kiloton

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

megaton

We know because in 1965 an A-4 rolled off the USS Ticonderoga, leaving a bomb capable of 1 megaton yield at the bottom of the Philippine Sea, where it remains.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026

Most nuclear weapons today are variable-yield, or “dial-a-yield,” providing a set amount of explosive power that can range from fractions of a kiloton to multiples of a megaton.

From Scientific American ● Mar. 10, 2022

In 1968, the United States exploded beneath the Nevada desert a 1.3 megaton nuclear device called “Boxcar.”

From Washington Times ● Apr. 26, 2021

The old B61 bombs had the explosive power of 1 megaton; the new ones have “dial-a-yield” options, ranging from 340 kilotons down to a fraction of a kiloton.

From Slate ● Oct. 22, 2019

Then came Livermore’s turn, with a device code-named Morgen- stern that was expected to yield one megaton.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

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