meltdown

American  

[melt-doun] / ˈmɛltˌdaʊn /

noun

1. the melting of a significant portion of a nuclear-reactor core due to inadequate cooling of the fuel elements, a condition that could lead to the escape of radiation.

2. a quickly developing breakdown or collapse.

   a bond-market meltdown;

   the meltdown of a marriage.

3. Informal. a sudden loss of control over one’s feelings or behavior.

   My toddler had a meltdown when I tried to leave the house.

---

meltdown British  

/ ˈmɛltˌdaʊn /

noun

1. (in a nuclear reactor) the melting of the fuel rods as a result of a defect in the cooling system, with the possible escape of radiation into the environment

2. informal a sudden disastrous failure with potential for widespread harm, as a stock-exchange crash

3. informal the process or state of irreversible breakdown or decline

   the community is slowly going into meltdown

---

meltdown Scientific  

/ mĕlt′doun′ /

1. Severe overheating of a nuclear reactor core, resulting in melting of the core and escape of radiation.

---

meltdown Cultural  

1. The most serious accident that can occur at a nuclear reactor. In a meltdown, the radioactive material in the reactor becomes very hot, melting some or all of the fuel in the reactor. A meltdown may or may not be followed by the release of radioactive material to the environment. A partial meltdown, with very little external radiation, occurred at Three Mile Island (see also Three Mile Island) in 1979; a complete meltdown happened at Chernobyl in 1986.

---

Etymology

Origin of meltdown

First recorded in 1960–65; noun use of verb phrase melt down

Example Sentences

The 1986 meltdown at the site was the world's worst ever nuclear incident.

From Barron's

The cyclone struck as Sri Lanka was emerging from its worst-ever economic meltdown in 2022, when it ran out of foreign exchange reserves to pay for essential imports such as food, fuel and medicines.

From Barron's

"Behind all the happy family pictures are children - and adults - who've had big meltdowns," she says.

From BBC

Its losses have accelerated in line with a meltdown in crypto prices.

From Barron's

Its losses have accelerated in line with a broader meltdown in crypto prices.

From Barron's

Related Words

• accident
• adversity
• calamity
• casualty
• cataclysm
• crash
• debacle
• devastation
• disaster
• emergency
• failure
• fiasco
• hardship
• misery
• mishap
• tragedy
• trouble
• wreck