Nuclear — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈnü-klē-ər/ nu·cle·ar

Meaning & Definition of Nuclear

Nuclear (adjective)

  1. of, relating to, or constituting a nucleus
  2. of or relating to the atomic nucleus
  3. used in or produced by a nuclear reaction (such as fission)

Nuclear (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in ballistic, amok

    similar: amok, ape, ballistic, bananas, berserk, bats, batty, bonkers (informal + sometimes offensive), brainsick, crazed (sometimes offensive), crazy (usually offensive), daft (chiefly British, informal), demented, deranged (often offensive), insane, loco (slang), mad, maniacal, mental (sometimes offensive), non compos mentis, nuts (informal + sometimes offensive), nutty (sometimes offensive), psycho (informal + disparaging), psychotic (sometimes offensive), unbalanced, unhinged, unsound, wud (chiefly Scottish), dotty, fey, loopy, off, potty (chiefly British), teched, touched, aberrant, delirious, delusional, delusionary, disordered, disturbed, eccentric, odd, oddball, pixilated, queer, strange, foolish, senseless, witless, irrational, unreasonable, depressed, distracted, distraught, frantic, frenzied, hysterical, raving, wigged-out
    opposite: clear, lucid, rational, reasonable, judicious, sensible, wise, healthy, normal, well-adjusted, unneurotic, balanced, compos mentis, sane, sound, uncrazy

Related Entry: Nuclear family (noun)

Nuclear family is a different word from Nuclear. The synonyms below are for nuclear family, not for nuclear.

  1. the part of a family that includes only the father, mother, and children

    similar: blended family, blood, clan, folks, house, kin, kindred, kinfolk, kinsfolk, line, lineage, people, race (archaic), stock, tribe, extended family, household, kith, brood, descendant, issue, offspring, progeny, scion, seed, clansman, kinsman, kinswoman, relative, dynasty
    opposite: ancestry, birth, descent, extraction, origin, pedigree

Related Entry: Nuclear families (noun)

Nuclear families is a different word from Nuclear. The synonyms below are for nuclear families, not for nuclear.

  1. the part of a family that includes only the father, mother, and children

    similar: blended families, blood, clans, folks, houses, kindreds, kinfolks, kins, kinsfolk, lineages, lines, people, races, stocks, tribes, extended families, households, kiths, broods, descendants, issues, offspring, progenies, scions, seed, clansmen, kinsmen, kinswomen, relatives, dynasties
    opposite: ancestries, births, descents, extractions, origins, pedigrees

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Nuclear

The most common words with a similar meaning to Nuclear:

Sometimes offensive: crazed, mental, nutty, psychotic
Informal + sometimes offensive: bonkers, nuts
Usually offensive: crazy
Chiefly British, informal: daft
Often offensive: deranged
Slang: loco
amok, ape, ballistic, bananas, berserk, bats, batty, brainsick, demented, insane, mad, maniacal, non compos mentis, unbalanced, unhinged, unsound, dotty, fey, loopy, off, teched, touched, aberrant, delirious, delusional, delusionary, disordered, disturbed, eccentric, odd, oddball, pixilated, queer, strange, foolish, senseless, witless, irrational, unreasonable, depressed

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Nuclear

Words with the opposite meaning of Nuclear:

clear, lucid, rational, reasonable, judicious, sensible, wise, healthy, normal, well-adjusted, unneurotic, balanced, compos mentis, sane, sound, uncrazy

Origin & Etymology of Nuclear

nucle(us) + -ar

First known use: 1822

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Nuclear

Words & Phrases Containing Nuclear

nuclear family, nuclear magnetic resonance, nuclear medicine, nuclear membrane, nuclear option, nuclear sap, nuclear winter, nuclear capability, nuclear energy

Frequently Asked Questions about Nuclear

What does "Nuclear" mean?

"Nuclear" means of, relating to, or constituting a nucleus. As an adjective, it is defined as: of, relating to, or constituting a nucleus.

What is another word for "Nuclear"?

Other words for "Nuclear" include amok, ape, ballistic, bananas, berserk, bats, batty and bonkers. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Nuclear" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Nuclear"?

There are 60 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Nuclear". Common alternatives include amok, ape, ballistic, bananas, berserk, bats, batty, bonkers, brainsick and crazed.

What is an informal or casual word for "Nuclear"?

Casual or informal alternatives for "Nuclear" include bonkers, nuts, daft and psycho.

What is the opposite of "Nuclear"?

Antonyms of "Nuclear" include clear, lucid, rational, reasonable, judicious, sensible, wise and healthy.

Is "Nuclear" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Nuclear" is an adjective.

Is "Nuclear" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B1-level word, "Nuclear" is typical of Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET), IELTS band 4.0–5.0, TOEFL iBT 42–71, PTE Academic 43–58, TOEIC Listening & Reading 550+. It is on the Academic Word List, so it appears often in IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, and university texts.

How do you pronounce "Nuclear"?

"Nuclear" is pronounced /ˈnü-klē-ər/ and divided into syllables as nu·cle·ar.