chain reaction
noun
1
a
: a series of events so related to each other that each one initiates the next
b
: a number of events triggered by the same initial event
2
: a self-sustaining chemical or nuclear reaction yielding energy or products that cause further reactions of the same kind
Examples of chain reaction in a Sentence
Increased oil prices could trigger a chain reaction in the economy.
Recent Examples on the Web
The second was in January of 2025, but barely involved the empty Waymo, which was simply stopped at light when a speeding car crashed into the Waymo and 6 other vehicles in a chain reaction, killing one person and a dog, and injuring several others.
—
Brad Templeton, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
The neutrons, thus produced, can lead to more fission events in the nearby fuel, leading to a chain reaction.
—Abhishek Bhardwaj, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2025
The satire, sci-fi, and body horror movie follows a Chinese-American teenager (Shirley Chen), who, feeling insecure about her race, takes a drastic step that causes a chain reaction throughout her own and her family’s lives.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2025
These population shifts can cause what’s known as a trophic cascade, an ecological process in which a change in the population of a top predator affects other species lower in the food chain, triggering a chain reaction.
—Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chain reaction
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Brad Templeton, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
The neutrons, thus produced, can lead to more fission events in the nearby fuel, leading to a chain reaction.
—Abhishek Bhardwaj, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2025
The satire, sci-fi, and body horror movie follows a Chinese-American teenager (Shirley Chen), who, feeling insecure about her race, takes a drastic step that causes a chain reaction throughout her own and her family’s lives.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2025
These population shifts can cause what’s known as a trophic cascade, an ecological process in which a change in the population of a top predator affects other species lower in the food chain, triggering a chain reaction.
—Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chain reaction
Cite this Entry
“Chain reaction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chain%20reaction. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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