nuclear

[ noo-klee-er, nyoo- or, by metathesis, -kyuh-ler ]

/ ˈnu kli ər, ˈnyu- or, by metathesis, -kyə lər /

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See synonyms for nuclear on Thesaurus.com

adjective

pertaining to or involving atomic weapons: nuclear war.

operated or powered by atomic energy: a nuclear submarine.

(of a nation or group of nations) having atomic weapons.

of, relating to, or forming a nucleus.

of, relating to, or like the nuclear family: nuclear bonds.

noun Informal.

nuclear energy: switching to nuclear as a power source.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of nuclear

1840–50; nucle(us) + -ar¹; compare French nucléaire

how to pronounce nuclear

In pronouncing nuclear, the second and third syllables are most commonly said as

[-klee-er], /-kli ər/, a sequence of sounds that directly reflects the spelled sequence ‐cle·ar. In recent years, a somewhat controversial pronunciation has come to public attention, with these two final syllables said as

[-kyuh-ler]. /-kyə lər/. Since

[-klee-er], /-kli ər/, the common pronunciation of ‐cle·ar, might also be represented, broadly, as

[-kluh-yer], /-klə yər/, the

[-kyuh-ler] /-kyə lər/ pronunciation can be seen as coming from a process of metathesis, in which the [l] /l/ and the [y] /y/ change places. The resulting pronunciation is reinforced by analogy with such words as molecular, particular, and muscular, and although it occurs with some frequency among highly educated speakers, including scientists, professors, and government officials, it is disapproved of by many.

OTHER WORDS FROM nuclear

in·ter·nu·cle·ar, adjectivemul·ti·nu·cle·ar, adjectivepost·nu·cle·ar, adjective

Words nearby nuclear

NUCFLASH, nucha, nuci-, nuciform, nucivorous, nuclear, nuclear bomb, nuclear chemistry, nuclear emulsion, nuclear energy, nuclear envelope

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use nuclear in a sentence

The deal unraveled by nightfall but helped pave the way in the years that followed to wholesale reductions in nuclear weapons at the end of the Cold War.
George P. Shultz, counsel and Cabinet member for two Republican presidents, dies at 100|Michael Abramowitz, David Hoffman|February 8, 2021|Washington Post
The year before, she was awarded the Lasker Prize for medical research — the first nuclear physicist to receive that honor.
Top 10 science anniversaries to celebrate in 2021|Tom Siegfried|February 3, 2021|Science News
The Cold War rumbled on for decades, sometimes taking America to the brink of nuclear war.
Lunik: Inside the CIA’s audacious plot to steal a Soviet satellite|Bobbie Johnson|January 28, 2021|MIT Technology Review
The threat of nuclear terrorism is such that we must act preemptively, not after a devastating attack.
It’s time to take domestic nuclear terrorism seriously|Jayita Sarkar|January 27, 2021|Washington Post

Once Democrats agree if Republicans commit to blocking these bills in the Senate using what’s called the nuclear option, ending the filibuster, will be crucial.
Democrats won — let’s act like it!|Peter Rosenstein|January 26, 2021|Washington Blade
But I think Steve Austin has to team up with a Japanese holdout to stop a nuclear bomb from going off or something.
‘Archer’ Creator Adam Reed Spills Season 6 Secrets, From Surreal Plotlines to Life Post-ISIS|Marlow Stern|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
He used negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program as an example.
Fact-Checking the Sunday Shows: Dec 21|PunditFact.com|December 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Gordon G. Chang is a Forbes.com columnist and the author of Nuclear Showdown: North Korea Takes On the World.
U.S. Should Make North Korea Pay for Sony Hack|Gordon G. Chang|December 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Binding the resolution of my case to progress in the nuclear negotiations is profoundly unjust.
An American Marine in Iran’s Prisons Goes on Hunger Strike|IranWire|December 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“Heavy water”, or D2O, is even less common in nature, though nuclear engineers make and use it in some reactors.
Are Comets the Origin of Earth’s Oceans?|Matthew R. Francis|December 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Upon careful inspection, however, delicate nuclear bands connecting the parts can usually be seen.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
After a detailed discussion by Hartson Brant of the properties and limitations of nuclear explosions, the conference agreed.
The Flaming Mountain|Harold Leland Goodwin
Rick and Scotty watched the placement of the nuclear explosive—a simple steel can, from the outside—in the big hole.
The Flaming Mountain|Harold Leland Goodwin
But even to the nuclear explosion those rocks won't mean much.
The Flaming Mountain|Harold Leland Goodwin
Charlie was an engineer at the new nuclear powerhouse, just out of town.
The Planet Strappers|Raymond Zinke Gallun

British Dictionary definitions for nuclear

nuclear

/ (ˈnjuːklɪə) /

adjective

of, concerned with, or involving the nucleus of an atomnuclear fission

biology of, relating to, or contained within the nucleus of a cella nuclear membrane

of, relating to, forming, or resembling any other kind of nucleus

of, concerned with, or operated by energy from fission or fusion of atomic nucleia nuclear weapon

involving, concerned with, or possessing nuclear weaponsnuclear war; a nuclear strike

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for nuclear

nuclear

[ nōō′klē-ər ]

Relating to or forming a cell nucleus.

Relating to atomic nuclei.

Using energy derived from the nuclei of atoms through fission or fusion reactions.

nuclear

Origin of nuclear

how to pronounce nuclear

OTHER WORDS FROM nuclear

Words nearby nuclear

Words related to nuclear

How to use nuclear in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for nuclear

Scientific definitions for nuclear