nuclear
Nuclear describes something that has to do with the nucleus — the central part — of an atom. If you're a nuclear physicist, you do a lot of work with that part of the atom.
Nuclear power, which comes from nuclear fission — the energy released when the nucleus of an atom is split — is a controversial source of renewable energy. The word nuclear is sometimes used broadly to refer to the core of something. Your nuclear family is you, your parents, and your siblings — in a sense, the central part of your world, kind of like the nucleus of an atom.
Definitions of nuclear
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constituting or like a nucleus“annexation of the suburban fringe by the nuclear metropolis”“the nuclear core of the congregation”
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Synonyms:
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central
in or near a center or constituting a center; the inner area
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central
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of or relating to or constituting the nucleus of a cell“nuclear membrane”“nuclear division”
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of or relating to or constituting the nucleus of an atom“nuclear physics”“nuclear fission”“nuclear forces”
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(weapons) deriving destructive energy from the release of atomic energy“nuclear war”“nuclear weapons”
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synonyms:
atomic
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thermonuclear
using nuclear weapons based on fusion as distinguished from fission
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Antonyms:
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conventional
(weapons) using energy for propulsion or destruction that is not nuclear energy
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thermonuclear
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘nuclear'.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
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