first strike

noun

: a preemptive nuclear attack
first-strike adjective

Examples of first strike in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Rank-and-file already nearly unanimously rejected a previous tentative agreement, precipitating the first strike at the company in 16 years. Chris Isidore, CNN, 19 Oct. 2024 Thirty-six East Coast and Gulf Coast ports have shut down due to 45,000 union workers walking off the job Oct. 1, marking the first strike by the International Longshoremen's Association since 1977. Rachel Smith, The Indianapolis Star, 3 Oct. 2024 In their first strike since 1977, ILA dockworkers have been pushing for a 77% pay raise over the life of the contract and a halt on automation that could replace union jobs at U.S. ports. Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2024 Of course, a three-day shutdown is not uncommon, even if this is the first strike in nearly a half-century. Chris Isidore and Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN, 4 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for first strike 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'first strike.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1956, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of first strike was in 1956

Dictionary Entries Near first strike

Cite this Entry

“First strike.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/first%20strike. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!