nukes

verb

present tense third-person singular of nuke
as in destroys
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of nukes The research firm - now a part of French investment firm Societe Generale - is out with a bold new note that nukes a part of the nuclear thesis. — Brian Sullivan, CNBC, 9 July 2026 One of them nukes a ton of Gmail functionality, and neither is explained very well. — ArsTechnica, 30 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nukes
  1. destroys
  2. ruins
  3. demolishes
  4. wrecks
  5. shatters
  6. devastates
  7. smashes
  8. damages
Verb
  • Ghidorah, a dragon who arrived from outer space, destroys a city in the opening set piece and only gets more dangerous from there.
    — James Grebey, Time, 3 Nov. 2026
  • This overfeeding triggers a runaway nuclear explosion that usually destroys the white dwarf.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of destroys
Verb
  • Luckily, his ex is kind enough to give him a pep talk before Lee ruins the afternoon for everyone.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Nothing ruins a good time like misplaced sympathy, and siding with the man of the house in a series that’s more rooted in women’s perspectives with each passing season just feels wrong.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of ruins
Verb
  • An $8,000 Ryvid Anthem or a $10,000 Maeving RM1S will deliver broadly similar urban usability, while the $12,500 Zero FXE absolutely demolishes it on power-per-dollar.
    — Utkarsh Sood June 12, New Atlas, 12 June 2026
  • The latest filing demolishes the timeworn claim that DOGE was infiltrated into Social Security in order to responsibly ferret out fraud and overspending.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
Definition of demolishes
Verb
  • If checking your score reliably wrecks your morning, the device isn’t working for you.
    — J. David Creswell, The Conversation, 6 Oct. 2026
  • That’s because even ordinary winds – and far worse, storms and earthquakes – cause tall buildings to sway, which ruins people’s concentration, wrecks their mood, and even exhausts them.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 24 July 2026
Definition of wrecks
Verb
  • Their peace shatters when Sovieshu rescues Rashta (Lee Se-young), a runaway slave, on a royal hunt and brings her home as his concubine.
    — Ophélie Surcouf, Variety, 3 Nov. 2026
  • When a server migration wipes out Sally’s treasured videos of him — and her phone containing backup copies accidentally shatters — the only hope is finding the original tapes.
    — Rachel LaBonte, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of shatters
Verb
  • As climate chaos causes oceans to swallow coastlands, and as surging water displaces and devastates communities, social survival will demand that people find ways to live and work with – and on – the water.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The urban planner and former professor also knows what happens next after a powerful earthquake devastates whole communities.
    — Luis Giraldo, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of devastates
Verb
  • In them, a high voltage creates a hot plasma that smashes nuclei together.
    — George Musser, Quanta Magazine, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The episode’s action-movie finale drops the rest of the episode’s spoofy meta humor and aims at straight drama, as Butcherbird smashes through Katerina’s security detail and drops her disguise.
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of smashes
Verb
  • Over time, the bullying creates a toxic environment that damages relationships between faculty and students and hurts the quality of education for everyone.
    — Jason Walker, The Conversation, 3 Nov. 2026
  • How remibrutinib works Remibrutinib belongs to a class of medicines known as BTK inhibitors, which aim to reduce the immune system activity that damages nerves in MS patients.
    — Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of damages

Browse Nearby Words

nuked
nukes
nuking
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Cite this Entry

“Nukes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nukes. Accessed 9 Nov. 2026.

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