nuke

American  

[nook, nyook] / nuk, nyuk /

noun

1. a nuclear or thermonuclear weapon.

2. a nuclear power plant or nuclear reactor.

3. nuclear energy.

   to convert from coal to nuke.

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adjective

1. of or relating to a nuclear or thermonuclear weapon or to a nuclear plant.

verb (used with object)

nuked, nuking

1. to attack, defeat, or destroy with or as if with nuclear weapons.

2. Slang. to cook or bake in a microwave oven.

nuke British  

/ njuːk /

verb

1. to attack or destroy with nuclear weapons

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noun

1. a nuclear bomb

2. a military strike with nuclear weapons

3. nuclear power

4. a nuclear power plant

Etymology

Origin of nuke

First recorded in 1945–50; by shortening and respelling

Example Sentences

It’s helping the move from coal to fracked oil and natural gas to nukes.

From The Wall Street Journal

And that the Soviets had dozens of hydrogen bomb warheads in Cuba during the crisis—plus tactical nukes that Soviet commanders were ready and willing to use if attacked.

From Literature

And Kim’s confidence in his country’s nuclear program is so strong that he has signaled a major policy shift next year, where advances in conventional weaponry will take equal footing with the nukes.

From The Wall Street Journal

Artificial intelligence, nukes, everything out of control, a cultural establishment that hates you.

From The Wall Street Journal

Stopping the nuke would give them more time to gather intelligence, but we learn there’s only a 61% chance of intercepting it.

From Los Angeles Times