nuke

1 of 2

noun

ˈnük How to pronounce nuke (audio)
ˈnyük
Synonyms of nukenext
1
: a nuclear weapon
2
: a nuclear-powered electric generating station

nuke

2 of 2

verb

nuked; nuking

transitive verb

1
: to attack or destroy with or as if with nuclear bombs
2
: microwave

Synonyms of nuke

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Verb

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Examples of nuke in a Sentence

Verb a pretty sizable piece of real estate would be nuked if an asteroid struck
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
It’s been Nash, over more than six decades, supporting peace, social justice and environmental causes in the United States, sounding an alarm about nukes after the Three Mile Island accident in 1979, singing at Occupy Wall Street protests in 2011. — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 13 July 2026 The interaction between the fissile material inside the nuke and the energetic particles from the radiation belt would create distinct signatures, Danagoulian said, which could help confirm whether a suspicious satellite carries a nuke or not. — Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 8 July 2026
Verb
The commitment of Sales to Indiana just nuked an entire lifetime of narratives and checked off the one thing that was surprisingly missing from Cignetti's resume. — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 Aug. 2026 Korea’s unfunny dictator responded by nuking the studio’s tech apparatus, thus disclosing its financial secrets. — Peter Bart, Deadline, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for nuke

Word History

Etymology

Noun

by shortening and respelling from nuclear

Verb

derivative of nuke entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1958, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1962, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of nuke was in 1958

Rhymes for nuke

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Browse Nearby Words

nuit blanche
nuke
Nuku'alofa
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nuke.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nuke. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of nuke for Spanish Speakers

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