nuclear weapon

American  

[noo-klee-er wep-uhn, nyoo-] / ˈnu kli ər ˈwɛp ən, ˈnju- /

noun

nuclear weapons plural

1. an explosive device whose destructive potential derives from the release of energy that accompanies the splitting or combining of atomic nuclei.

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nuclear weapon Scientific  

1. A weapon whose destructive power comes from nuclear energy; an atomic bomb or a hydrogen bomb.

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nuclear weapon Cultural  

1. Any weapon that employs a nuclear reaction for its explosive power. Nuclear weapons include ballistic missiles, bombs (see atomic bomb (see also atomic bomb) and hydrogen bomb), artillery rounds, and mines.

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Pronunciation

See nuclear ( def. ).

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• nuclear weapons
  plural

Etymology

Origin of nuclear weapon

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

nuclear weapon

The U.S. and Iran have been preparing to discuss what to do with Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium, which Washington suspects could be used to develop a nuclear weapon.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 21, 2026

Iran has agreed to not procure or buy a nuclear weapon, and both sides have agreed to deal with the enriched uranium Tehran already has.

From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026

"It remains the UK's firm and longstanding position that Iran must never have a nuclear weapon," Starmer said.

From Barron's ● Jun. 15, 2026

Most recently, he has emphasized that the sole goal is to keep Iran from building a nuclear weapon.

From Slate ● Jun. 15, 2026

US officials had known that the Soviets would eventually be able to build a nuclear weapon, but the nation's top intelligence experts estimated that the Soviets' nuclear capability was still four years away.

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau

Related Words

• atomic bomb
• hydrogen bomb
• neutron bomb