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.

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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

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meltdown Scientific  

/ mĕlt′doun′ /

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

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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.

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Etymology

Origin of meltdown

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

Example Sentences

We always thought it would be a nuclear meltdown held from within.

From Los Angeles Times

Do you think private credit could lead to another financial meltdown?

From The Wall Street Journal

It might also happen when Romi wakes up early, and sometimes it's simply "to avoid conflicts and meltdowns".

From BBC

Major League Baseball faces a looming labor meltdown and potential lockout next winter, threatening missed games despite recent popularity.

From The Wall Street Journal

Founded by James van Geelen, Citrini went viral with an AI doomsday report in February that caused a meltdown for software stocks.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

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