first strike
4
8.6
- noun
- /fɜrst straɪk/
- NSFW
:
primer ataque
- Deterrence would become unstable if either country acquired a credible first-strike capability—the ability to attack without fear of reprisal.
- launch a first strike
- first strike capability
- first strike nuclear
Examples
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After calculating the damage from a first strike against nuclear forces, they determined how many surviving nuclear weapons could be used in a retaliatory attack against targets of value: economic and administrative centers.
Academic text (2010) -
The fear was that a sneak attack from Soviet bombers could destroy the capacity of the U.S. to retaliate, thus providing an incentive for a first strike.
Academic text (2010) -
Are you advocating we launch a first strike?
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During my six decades on the planet, Washington has always maintained a first-strike option.
Blog text (25) -
There is increasing evidence that first-strike strategies are no longer a military option but have become central to American defense policy.
Academic text (1993) -
Even more shocking is the call by the majority of comments not only to launch a first strike against Iran, but it should be a nuclear first strike.
Blog text (19) -
The Joint Chiefs' consensus, Mr. President, is that this signals a major doctrinal shift in Soviet thinking to a first-strike policy.
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What stops the would-be aggressor is the certainty of unacceptable damage, even if it follows a sudden first strike.
Academic text (2011) -
The greatest concern in the near term would be that an unstable Iranian-Israeli nuclear contest could emerge, with a significant risk that either side would launch a first strike on the other despite the enormous risks and costs involved.
Academic text (2011) -
In a tense standoff, both nations remained on high alert, with each assessing the potential consequences of a first strike using their nuclear arsenals.
Synonyms
348
7.0
A military attack to destroy a specific target
3
6.8
A surprise attack carried out to stop an enemy from attacking first
A military action to stop an expected attack by an enemy before it happens
Antonyms
How Severe
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'an initial or pre-emptive attack' is directly derived from combining 'first' (preceding others in time) with 'strike' (an offensive action), so a learner who knows both words will infer it refers to the initial/primary attack. Although the term carries domain-specific nuances (military/cyber pre-emption), the basic compositional sense is transparent and common across languages.
Etymology
First strike comes from military talk about hitting an enemy before they can 'hit back'. The image is a first strong strike that destroys the other side's weapons so they cannot 'hit back', which is why it means a pre-emptive nuclear attack to stop any response.