nuke

1 of 2

noun

ˈnük 

ˈnyük

1

: a nuclear weapon

2

: a nuclear-powered electric generating station

nuke

2 of 2

verb

nuked; nuking

transitive verb

1

: to attack or destroy with or as if with nuclear bombs

2

: microwave

Synonyms

Verb

• annihilate
• cream
• decimate
• demolish
• desolate
• destroy
• devastate
• do in
• extinguish
• pull down
• pulverize
• raze
• rub out
• ruin
• shatter
• smash
• tear down
• total
• vaporize
• waste
• wrack
• wreck

Examples of nuke in a Sentence

Verb

a pretty sizable piece of real estate would be nuked if an asteroid struck

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

China has been calling for other nations armed with nuclear weapons to make the same commitment to no-first-use of nukes. —Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024

Bomb kills Russian nuke commander A Russian general accused of using chemical weapons in Ukraine was killed Tuesday by what officials described as a bomb hidden in a scooter outside a Moscow apartment building. —Laura L. Davis, USA TODAY, 17 Dec. 2024

Verb

Pyongyang now routinely, almost casually, threatens to nuke South Korea and the United States. —Robert E. Kelly, Foreign Affairs, 30 Dec. 2024

Sunday was a striking microcosm of their season; an effort nuked by quarterback turnovers in the first half and special teams errors in the second, that proved unsalvageable despite strong defense throughout. —Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 2 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

by shortening and respelling from nuclear

Verb

derivative of nuke entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1958, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1962, in the meaning defined at sense 1