Definition of first strike
: a preemptive nuclear attack
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Recent Examples of first strike from the Web
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The Pentagon says the warheads would deter Russia from using its own similar weapons in a first strike and therefore would make nuclear war less likely.
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Monday's thunderous second bombing came after a crowd had already gathered near the scene of the first strike.
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During the Cold War, the US and Soviet Union faced a number of situations — most notably the 1962 Cuban missile crisis — where one side had reason to believe the other was preparing for a nuclear first strike.
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Mikolas came back with his first strike of the plate appearance on the next pitch, the lone likely result in the plate appearance.
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Better missile defence could undermine mutually assured destruction, which creates deterrence by guaranteeing that a first strike triggers a devastating response.
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What first struck me, nearly literally, was the large basket of yellow bags with a sign beckoning visitors to take one.
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The first strike week for Kane County probation officers and youth counselors ended with no new negotiation sessions planned, officials said.
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Omalu said in March that Clark was first struck in the side, the force from that bullet spinning his body around so that his back was to the officers, and six rounds then hit him in the back.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'first strike.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of first strike
1956
FIRST STRIKE Defined for English Language Learners
first strike
Definition of first strike for English Language Learners
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: a nuclear attack against an enemy before the enemy can attack
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