meltdown

[ melt-doun ]

noun

1. the melting of a significant portion of a nuclear-reactor core due to inadequate cooling of the fuel elements, a condition that could lead to the escape of radiation.
2. a quickly developing breakdown or collapse:

   a bond-market meltdown;

   the meltdown of a marriage.

3. Informal. a sudden loss of control over one’s feelings or behavior:

   My toddler had a meltdown when I tried to leave the house.

meltdown

/ ˈmɛltˌdaʊn /

noun

1. (in a nuclear reactor) the melting of the fuel rods as a result of a defect in the cooling system, with the possible escape of radiation into the environment
2. informal.
   a sudden disastrous failure with potential for widespread harm, as a stock-exchange crash
3. informal.
   the process or state of irreversible breakdown or decline

   the community is slowly going into meltdown

meltdown

/ mĕlt′doun′ /

1. Severe overheating of a nuclear reactor core, resulting in melting of the core and escape of radiation.

meltdown

1. The most serious accident that can occur at a nuclear reactor . In a meltdown, the radioactive material in the reactor becomes very hot, melting some or all of the fuel in the reactor. A meltdown may or may not be followed by the release of radioactive material to the environment. A partial meltdown, with very little external radiation , occurred at Three Mile Island (see also Three Mile Island ) in 1979; a complete meltdown happened at Chernobyl in 1986.

Word History and Origins

Origin of meltdown¹

First recorded in 1960–65; noun use of verb phrase melt down

Example Sentences

Following a meltdown in January, he was detained in a mental health hospital.

From BBC

While the world has been watching Washington, Germany is quietly going into political meltdown.

From BBC

For his part, Donald Trump has targeted the area in a Truth Social meltdown Tuesday.

From Salon

“The Real Housewives of Orange County” alum Vicki Gunvalson has had numerous meltdowns and screaming matches showcased on the Bravo reality series.

From Los Angeles Times

He delivered the most famous line in that series when he showed up wearing a tie headband and face paint during a Y2K meltdown and shouted, “Follow me, follow me to freedom!”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• accident
• adversity
• calamity
• casualty
• cataclysm
• crash
• debacle
• devastation
• disaster
• emergency
• failure
• fiasco
• hardship
• misery
• mishap
• tragedy
• trouble
• wreck