nuclear option
Britishnoun
-
the use of or power to use nuclear weapons
-
the use of or power to use a measure considered to be particularly drastic
the nuclear option of a confidence vote
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.
In theory, other EU countries could override Belgium and ram the initiative through with a weighted majority but that would be a nuclear option that few see as likely for now.
From Barron's
"I never would have expected they would hit the nuclear option of firing so many of us in one go. It does highlight the need for unions."
From BBC
“This weapon is kind of the nuclear option because its consequences are so severe,” he says.
From Barron's
“This weapon is kind of the nuclear option because its consequences are so severe,” he says.
From Barron's
It’s “very unlikely the court would reach for the nuclear option,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
