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nuclear threshold

British  

noun

  1. the point in war at which a combatant brings nuclear weapons into use

"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

Example Sentences

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"It highlights precise, long-range, automated conventional firepower capable of overwhelming the South even below the nuclear threshold," Hong added.

From Barron's May 27, 2026

Such statements have raised alarm among Western diplomats, who fear Iran is edging closer to becoming a nuclear threshold state.

From BBC May 31, 2025

Similarly, Ehud Barak, a former Netanyahu defence minister turned political critic, described Iran as "marching confidently towards becoming a de facto nuclear threshold state".

From Reuters Mar. 12, 2023

Partly it is because of Russia’s lowered nuclear threshold and heightened sense of vulnerability.

From Seattle Times Mar. 16, 2022

In an era where the strategic nuclear forces are in rough equilibrium, the risks of conflict below the nuclear threshold may grow more perilous.

From State of the Union Address by Ford, Gerald R.

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