nuke

verb

Definition of nukenext
as in to destroy
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 nuke And more recently, Cornyn was among many Republicans reluctant to nuke the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster threshold to pass the Save America Act to impose nationwide voter ID laws. — Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 27 May 2026 One of them nukes a ton of Gmail functionality, and neither is explained very well. — ArsTechnica, 30 Apr. 2026 Our job is to be America First, which means protecting American interests and making sure Iran can’t nuke us. — Sudiksha Kochi, The Hill, 9 Apr. 2026 Now someone posts on social media that COVID-19, tariffs, or the war with Iran is going to nuke toilet paper stock, and strangers across the country start loading up their carts. — Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 23 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for nuke
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nuke
  1. destroy
  2. demolish
  3. ruin
  4. devastate
  5. shatter
  6. wreck
  7. smash
Verb
  • In 2025, Ukraine smuggled over 100 drones into Russia inside cargo trucks to conduct strikes that damaged or destroyed roughly one-third of Russia’s active bomber fleet and caused approximately $7 billion in damages.
    — Seth G. Jones, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Some 36,000 houses and buildings were destroyed or damaged, and more than 2,000 people are still living in evacuation centers, including school gymnasiums and community centers.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of destroy
Verb
  • Smashing the grid of the encyclopedic museum has meant that Govan literally had to demolish the institution’s former structures.
    — George Baker, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Now it will be demolished and replaced as part of a $250 million sports complex project.
    — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of demolish
Verb
  • The fight between a small Georgia community and tech giant Meta has escalated this week after four families filed a lawsuit against the company alleging a central Georgia data center project has contaminated their water and ruined their home values.
    — Irene Wright, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Gen, forgetting her swollen wrist, perks up at the thought of having a new person to ruin sheets with.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of ruin
Verb
  • Rescue crews and foreign specialists are racing to find scores of workers feared trapped alive inside hydropower tunnels in Nepal, after thick mud buried the facilities during last week’s devastating flash floods.
    — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Travelers hoping to visit the Grand Canyon in coming days may want to adjust their plans after devastating flash flooding that has left at least two people dead and more than a dozen others missing.
    — Eve Chen, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of devastate
Verb
  • As dark occurrences begin to shatter the quiet of their isolated home, the boy is forced to navigate a harrowing psychological nightmare where the line between real-world madness and supernatural terror blurs.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Both Russia and China have tested missiles that destroy satellites; a Russian test in 2021 shattered an inactive satellite into more than a thousand pieces.
    — Jeffrey Lewis, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of shatter
Verb
  • The violent swings that powered his game, launching golf balls far beyond his competitors, also wrecked his back and knees.
    — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2026
  • An eight-game lead with 25 games left is a virtual lock for Brewers manager Pat Murphy and his wrecking crew, as even optimistic Cubs fans understand.
    — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of wreck
Verb
  • And yet the company's earnings garners scant attention compared to those names, to say nothing of Nvidia, which smashed expectations last week.
    — Michael Khouw, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Bland said officers were dispatched after a 911 caller reported that Garcia had been walking down the street with a baseball bat, smashing car windows.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of smash

Browse Nearby Words

nuisances
nuke
nuked
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nuke.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nuke. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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