as in to destroy
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
a pretty sizable piece of real estate would be nuked if an asteroid struck
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nuke
The moon briefly had a small chance of taking a hit from the asteroid during its close approach in 2032 – prompting one team of scientists to propose simply nuking the space rock.
—
Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
But when fully mature, many seeds still won’t germinate because Mother Nature has trained many plant species to use one of several mechanisms to make sure the seeds don’t germinate in September/October only to get nuked by the onset of winter weather.
—Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 21 Nov. 2025
But there’s a cleverness to how AdHoc’s writing team has managed to give the player a sense of control without completely nuking the story.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 30 Oct. 2025
However, nuking the asteroid could potentially create problems.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nuke
Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
But when fully mature, many seeds still won’t germinate because Mother Nature has trained many plant species to use one of several mechanisms to make sure the seeds don’t germinate in September/October only to get nuked by the onset of winter weather.
—Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 21 Nov. 2025
But there’s a cleverness to how AdHoc’s writing team has managed to give the player a sense of control without completely nuking the story.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 30 Oct. 2025
However, nuking the asteroid could potentially create problems.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nuke
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nuke
Verb
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The fire destroyed two structures — a cabin and an equipment shed — and forced the evacuation of 11 National Park Service employees, who were rescued by a Santa Barbara County Fire Department helicopter.—
Jack Flemming,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2026
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Covers personal property used to secure a loan as collateral if it's destroyed.—
Liz Knueven,
CNBC,
18 May 2026
Verb
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There, on the Hudson River waterfront, David Wojnarowicz wrote poems and painted murals alongside Luis Frangella and Mike Bidlo, while Peter Hujar and Dirk Rowntree photographed scenes of impromptu happenings and performances, before the site was demolished in 1984.—
Natalia Torija,
Curbed,
14 May 2026
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Playing in Cincinnati, just about 100 miles away from his hometown of Louisville, Daylen Lile demolished a home run in the 10th inning on Wednesday to help the Washington Nationals earn an 8-7 comeback win over the Cincinnati Reds.—
Danielle Allentuck,
Washington Post,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Since 2015, it has been held in ten different cities, including Las Vegas, where a red carpet was constructed atop the Bellagio’s fountain pool, and Nashville, where rowdy attendees ruined bachelorette parties on Broadway.—
Dan Greene,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
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Many riads were in a state of disrepair, crammed with striking examples of traditional craftsmanship going to ruin.—
Rebecca Ann Hughes,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
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The trouble was that the British economy was fragile—most mortgages in the UK at the time had variable rates, so raising interest rates would devastate British homeowners.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
14 May 2026
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Sarah Konwahahawi Herne was devastated.—
Brian Mann,
NPR,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Around the same time as the engagement photo shoots, the brides-to-be start mending their porcelain plates, which were ceremoniously shattered so the brides-to-be could mend them.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
13 May 2026
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When her husband Karl finds her after years of searching, that hope is shattered, forcing her to return to Vienna – into a society that once sought to erase her.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
13 May 2026
Verb
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The line was a wrecking crew that also managed to outscore the opposition.—
Allan Mitchell,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
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Bubba, by the way, was actually wrecked later in the race by John Hunter Nemechek.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
Verb
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Authorities said the suspect then smashed into the store's jewelry counter, stealing nearly $10,000 worth of merchandise before walking out and fleeing the scene on a motorcycle.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
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Suarez was caught on surveillance camera smashing into the Volkswagen Jetta on Amsterdam Ave.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nuke.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nuke. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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