nuking

present participle of nuke
as in destroying
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

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 nuking 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 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 Johnson raised concerns that nuking the filibuster could one day empower socialists, in an appearance on C-SPAN Thursday. Steven T. Dennis, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2025 However, nuking the asteroid could potentially create problems. Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 6 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nuking
Verb
  • For decades, factories discharged pollution into waterways and wetlands, destroying natural habitats and forcing residents to live in the shadow of smokestacks and refineries.
    Gretchen Kalwinski, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2026
  • In my view, Iran is hellbent on destroying Israel and America.
    Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 June 2026
Verb
  • Indeed, many media observers—inside and outside the network—have gone so far as to suggest that demolishing the status quo seems to be central to Weiss’s mandate.
    Claire Zillman, Fortune, 12 June 2026
  • In February 2024, police gave him and his wife minutes to pack before demolishing their home.
    Sam Mednick, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2026
Verb
  • Two runners scored, ruining Tech ace Nijaree Canady’s shutout.
    Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 5 June 2026
  • The Los Angeles Dodgers are ruining baseball.
    Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 June 2026
Verb
  • Belt-Stubblefield did not stop and ended up wrecking his car.
    Michael Abeyta, CBS News, 6 June 2026
  • The kind of game-wrecking force that the Rams enjoyed playing behind during Aaron Donald’s tenure, and one the defense has missed since Donald’s retirement prior to the 2024 season.
    Adam Grosbard, Oc Register, 2 June 2026
Verb
  • Over the prairie there would be lightning that evening, dropping in shattering bolts from swollen purple clouds.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 June 2026
  • Renowned for his defense-shattering runs, vision, and dribbling, his time at FC Barcelona was legendary.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 June 2026
Verb
  • The British government refused to subsidize food prices or restrict exports of Irish agricultural goods, further devastating the island.
    Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
  • The carp have already shifted Mississippi River ecosystems by crowding out native fish, devastating some areas.
    Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 31 May 2026
Verb
  • One video appeared to show two people jumping onto the roof of an NYPD vehicle and smashing its windshield.
    Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 14 June 2026
  • Yes to hugging and high-fiving a stranger; no to tearing down a lamppost and smashing a cop car.
    New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 12 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Nuking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nuking. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.

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