Definition

1. Noun:
   • Nuclear energy regarded as a source of electricity for the power grid (for civilian use): This refers to the electrical power generated by harnessing the energy released from nuclear reactions, primarily nuclear fission, in a controlled environment like a power plant. It is a major source of baseload electricity for many countries.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The country plans to increase its reliance on nuclear power to reduce carbon emissions.
  • The debate over the safety of nuclear power continues.
  • This reactor provides nuclear power for over a million homes.

Advanced Usage

• "to go nuclear" (idiom, related): This phrase, while not using "nuclear power" directly, originates from the same domain. It means to escalate a situation to an extreme or confrontational level, often referencing nuclear warfare.
  • During the argument, he decided to go nuclear and reveal the secret.

Variants and Related Words

• Nuclear energy (n): Often used interchangeably with "nuclear power" to describe the energy itself, though "nuclear power" more specifically denotes its use for electricity generation.
  • Nuclear energy is released during fission.
• Nuclear reactor (n): The device used to initiate and control a sustained nuclear chain reaction to produce nuclear power.
  • The nuclear reactor is housed in a containment building.
• Nuclear-powered (adj): Describing something that uses nuclear power as its energy source.
  • A nuclear-powered submarine.

Synonyms

• Atomic energy: An older, less precise synonym for nuclear energy/power.
• Fission power: A more technical term specifying the fission process used in most current nuclear power plants.

Related Phrases

• Nuclear power plant (n): A thermal power station where the heat source is a nuclear reactor. (Listed here as a related compound term).
  • The nuclear power plant is located near the river.
• Nuclear power generation (n): The process of producing electricity from nuclear energy.
  • Nuclear power generation produces minimal greenhouse gases during operation.

Related Idioms

• A nuclear option: A drastic or last-resort course of action, derived from the concept of nuclear weapons but sometimes associated with the immense power of nuclear energy.
  • Laying off the entire department was the CEO's nuclear option.

Noun

1. nuclear energy regarded as a source of electricity for the power grid (for civilian use)