nonproliferation
Americannoun
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the action or practice of curbing or controlling an excessive, rapid spread.
nonproliferation of nuclear weapons.
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failure or refusal to proliferate, as in budding or cell division.
adjective
noun
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limitation of the production or spread of something, esp nuclear or chemical weapons
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( as modifier )
a nonproliferation treaty
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failure or refusal to proliferate
Etymology
Origin of nonproliferation
First recorded in 1960–65; non- + proliferation
Explanation
Nonproliferation is when something is kept from growing or spreading. Trying to reduce the number of nuclear weapons in the world is known as nuclear nonproliferation. You're almost certain to find the noun nonproliferation in discussions about weapons of mass destruction, especially nuclear bombs and missiles. A nonproliferation treaty is an agreement between powerful countries to limit the number of nuclear weapons they have, with the eventual goal of disarmament, or completely eliminating them. The word has been around since 1965, from non-, "not," and proliferation, "increase or enlargement," from the French prolifère, "producing offspring."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The expanding trade marks one of the biggest challenges for American nonproliferation officials in the era of drone warfare.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026
“There’s a general conclusion today that there’s a de facto suspension of enrichment,” said Robert Einhorn, a former senior State Department official for nonproliferation issues and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 25, 2026
“And this means that traditional nonproliferation concerns over Saudi Arabia have really subsided over the last few years,” Thakker said.
From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2025
As Sneider notes, this would be a “sharp departure” from Russia’s age-old policy on nuclear nonproliferation.
From Slate • Oct. 25, 2024
In 1977, the Administration announced its nuclear nonproliferation policy and initiated the International Fuel Cycle Evaluation.
From State of the Union Address by Carter, Jimmy
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
