kiloton
noun
ki·lo·ton
ˈki-lə-ˌtən 
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
The last major asteroid impact on Earth to inflict any significant damage was in 2013, when an asteroid around 20 meters in diameter exploded above the Russian city of Chelyabinsk, releasing the same amount of energy as 500 kilotons of TNT.
—
Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 24 July 2025
Some Russian tactical nuclear weapon yields exceed 100 kilotons, nearly ten times that of the Hiroshima bomb.
—Andrew F. Krepinevich, Foreign Affairs, 22 Nov. 2022
The arsenal ranges from 10 to 40 kilotons, though exact numbers remain unknown, according to The Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation.
—Nick Mordowanec
john Feng, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Apr. 2025
After North Korea conducted its sixth nuclear test, in early September, Japanese, South Korean, and U.S. intelligence agencies reportedly provided a range of estimates of the weapon’s explosive yield, with an average estimate of around 100 kilotons.
—Scott D. Sagan, Foreign Affairs, 10 Sep. 2017
See All Example Sentences for kiloton
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Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 24 July 2025
Some Russian tactical nuclear weapon yields exceed 100 kilotons, nearly ten times that of the Hiroshima bomb.
—Andrew F. Krepinevich, Foreign Affairs, 22 Nov. 2022
The arsenal ranges from 10 to 40 kilotons, though exact numbers remain unknown, according to The Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation.
—Nick Mordowanec
john Feng, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Apr. 2025
After North Korea conducted its sixth nuclear test, in early September, Japanese, South Korean, and U.S. intelligence agencies reportedly provided a range of estimates of the weapon’s explosive yield, with an average estimate of around 100 kilotons.
—Scott D. Sagan, Foreign Affairs, 10 Sep. 2017
See All Example Sentences for kiloton
Cite this Entry
“Kiloton.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kiloton. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
kiloton
noun
ki·lo·ton
ˈkil-ə-ˌtən
ˈkē-lə-,
also -ˌtän
1
: 1000 tons
2
: an explosive force equivalent to that of 1000 tons of TNT
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