nuclear weapon
- noun
- /ˈnjuːklɪər ˈwɛpən/
- NSFW
- The country agreed to a treaty aimed at reducing its stockpile of nuclear weapons.
- develop nuclear weapons
- acquire nuclear weapons
- use nuclear weapons
How do you think the the atomic bomb, nuclear weapons change war?
- How do you think the the atomic bomb, nuclear weapons change war?
- They were in the nuclear weapons project of Nazi Germany.
- So there's nothing in nuclear weapons except the threat of using them.
- How can more nuclear weapons make us more safe?
- He was the one who really got rid of nuclear weapons on a big scale.
- They, they were widely known to have nuclear weapons, which they eventually gave up.
- It's a story about our fear of nuclear weapons, which we're still grappling with.
- An order now goes out to not use any nuclear weapons without prior consent from Moscow.
- First we get nuclear weapons moved on to ships in the Arctic.
- And that he'll refrain from using nuclear weapons and that he will promote human rights.
- What about nuclear weapons is so dangerous?
- Beyond that, Russia is making threats about using those nuclear weapons towards neighbors in Europe.
- They don't want a reunited Korea under Seoul with nuclear weapons on their border.
- That's the big challenge right now in Ukraine, because Ukraine does not have nuclear weapons, Russia does.
- Putin has ordered as his military to rehearse tactical nuclear weapon usage in combat.
Examples
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My government will work to reduce the threat from nuclear weapons, cyber attacks and terrorism.
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We were carrying nuclear weapons on our plane last night.
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How can more nuclear weapons make us more safe?
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There are nuclear weapons here?
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Is there a world in which nuclear weapons disappear?
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An order now goes out to not use any nuclear weapons without prior consent from Moscow.
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Would a world free of nuclear weapons actually be happier and safer?
Academic text (2011) -
We seek the total elimination one day of nuclear weapons from the face of the earth.
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Once again, a global movement is afoot to free the world of nuclear weapons.
Academic text (2011) -
He was in town to speak about nuclear weapons and why they should be abolished.
Synonyms
A very powerful bomb that uses nuclear energy
A thing that can kill or injure many people, like nuclear, chemical and biological devices
A very powerful weapon that splits atoms to make a huge explosion and destroy large areas
A part of a missile or bomb that contains a nuclear bomb
A very powerful weapon that splits atoms to release huge energy
A very powerful weapon that splits atoms to cause a huge explosion
A very powerful explosive that uses energy from splitting or joining atoms to destroy things
A very powerful nuclear bomb that makes a huge explosion by joining hydrogen atoms
A very powerful nuclear weapon that explodes by joining hydrogen atoms
A weapon that kills people mainly with radiation but leaves buildings mostly standing
A weapon that makes a very large explosion by joining light atoms like hydrogen
A very powerful nuclear bomb equal to one million tons of TNT
A bomb put on a missile that uses nuclear energy to make a very large explosion
Part of a missile or bomb that explodes and has a nuclear weapon
A bomb that releases a huge amount of energy by splitting heavy atoms like uranium or plutonium
A very powerful weapon that makes a huge explosion by joining tiny hydrogen atoms at extreme heat
A very powerful bomb that uses plutonium to make a huge nuclear explosion
A bomb with the power of several million tons of TNT
How Destructive
- Specialized
- NSFW
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'nuclear' specifies the source (atomic/nuclear energy) and 'weapon' denotes an instrument of attack, so the combined noun denotes a weapon powered by nuclear reactions. This noun–noun compound follows common cross-linguistic patterns and, despite technical content, a B1 learner who knows both constituents should be able to infer the intended meaning.
Etymology
Nuclear weapon gets its name from nuclear, meaning the tiny center of an atom, and weapon, a tool for fighting. It is a weapon that uses the huge energy from those tiny centers, so it can cause very large damage very quickly.