kiloton

noun

ki·​lo·​ton ˈki-lə-ˌtən How to pronounce kiloton (audio)
ˈkē-lə-,
 also  -ˌtän
1
: 1000 tons
2
: an explosive force equivalent to that of 1000 tons of TNT

Examples of kiloton in a Sentence

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.
While the asteroid ultimately exploded mid-air about 18 miles above the Earth, the explosion released the same amount of energy as 500 kilotons of TNT, according to The Planetary Society. Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 6 Oct. 2025 In 1964, China detonated a 22-kiloton nuclear device at a test site in the arid northwestern Xinjiang region—and the political fallout reached Washington. Mariano-Florentino CuÉllar, Foreign Affairs, 25 Sep. 2025 Sue Dearing, a former president of the Democratic Club, will go back 80 years to the dropping of the atomic bomb at Hiroshima in 1945, with its comparatively small strength of 15 kilotons compared to today’s warheads of 475 kilotons and more. Daniella Walsh, Oc Register, 18 Sep. 2025 The global market for lithium-ion batteries is expected to rise by 13% each year, with demand reaching about 1,600 kilotons of lithium by 2026. Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for kiloton

Word History

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of kiloton was in 1950

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Cite this Entry

“Kiloton.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kiloton. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

kiloton

noun
ki·​lo·​ton ˈkil-ə-ˌtən How to pronounce kiloton (audio)
ˈkē-lə-,
 also  -ˌtän
1
: 1000 tons
2
: an explosive force equivalent to that of 1000 tons of TNT

More from Merriam-Webster on kiloton

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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