nuclear power

American  

[noo-klee-er pou-er, nyoo-] / ˈnu kli ər ˈpaʊ ər, ˈnyu- /

noun

1. power derived from nuclear energy.

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nuclear power British  

noun

1. Also called: atomic power.  power, esp electrical or motive, produced by a nuclear reactor

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nuclear power Cultural  

1. The electrical power generated by a nuclear reactor.

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Pronunciation

See nuclear ( def. ).

Etymology

Origin of nuclear power

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

President Emmanuel Macron vaunted France's reliable nuclear power and available land for construction as he welcomed leaders to the event.

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

He added that there’s going to be a massive supply problem as early as 2027 due to the AI build-out and other countries coming back into nuclear power.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 4, 2026

The next week, Gates’s nuclear power company TerraPower was engaging in its own form of reputational damage control.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026

For most of American history, Congress created new boards or commissions with a specific mission, such as regulating railroad rates in the 1880s or nuclear power in the 1970s.

From Los Angeles Times • May 31, 2026

The same is true for nuclear power plant workers.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland

Related Words

• atomic energy